AIIMS medicos end strike; Degrees issued to 49 students

New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) Resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today called off their strike and immediately resumed work.

Hours after the decision, the AIIMS Administration issued MBBS degrees to 49 students, which was the main demand of the agitating doctors.

Hospital Media-in charge (acting) Dr M K Singh said the AIIMS Staff Council, which had met earlier in the day and resolved that the degrees will be signed by the Institute Director and the Dean, issued the degrees to the students.

''The degrees were issued by 1700 hrs... consequent to the decision of the Staff Council,'' he added.

The doctors were on strike since Tuesday night, demanding that Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who is also the president of the Institute, sign the degrees of scholars to enable them to apply in Universities in India and abroad.

They were also demanding that degrees for about 700 AIIMS scholars which were not awarded for the past two years also be issued.

AIIMS Director P Venugopal and Dr Ramadoss yesterday in a meeting had fixed September 25 as the date for the convocation ceremony.

The Resideant Doctors Association (RDA) had said the 49 AIIMS scholars who are to go abroad on September 1 for higher studies be at least signed as the non receipt of degrees had put their visit in jeopardy.

Accepting the terms, RDA General Secretary Anil Sharma said the association had sought legal opinion and the degrees, without the Presidents' signature will be valid.

''We don't mind if Dr Ramadoss does not sign the degrees...

It is an honour for the President to sign the degrees and if he dosen't want it its fine by us,'' he added.

Dr Sharma said the RDA will boycott Dr Ramadoss at the convocation and only accept the degrees from the Chief Guest.

The Health Minister had blamed the AIIMS administration for the delay in awarding the degrees.

Dr Ramadoss said he had received a bunch of certificates which carried the signature of a person whose appointment had not been approved by the AIIMS governing body, the highest decision making body of the institute.

''So, I sent a letter to the Director saying the certificates were illegal and should be signed by the legally-appointed Registrar,'' he added.

UNI