Government raises retirement age of doctors to 65

New Delhi: The government has increased the retirement age of doctors serving in the Central Health Service to 65 years in an effort to retain experienced hands for a longer period and improve public health service.

A health ministry proposal to the effect was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and will come into effect from 31 May.

India’s public health service is facing an acute shortage of doctors with only one doctor for every 1,700 people as against the World Health Organisation criteria of at least one doctor per 1,000 people.

Attempts by the government to improve public health service through other means have often faced resistance. Medical students had earlier opposed the government move to make it mandatory for them to serve two years in a rural public health facility before applying for postgraduate courses.

Health minister J.P. Nadda said the latest move will strengthen the healthcare sector with additional doctors and help the government roll out its people-oriented schemes.