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AYUSH Practitioners Seek Parity in Pay, Service Conditions with MBBS Doctors: A New Judicial Timeline

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India has referred the matter of parity in pay, service conditions, and retirement age between AYUSH practitioners and MBBS doctors to a larger bench, a move that could potentially resolve a long-standing conflict between the two groups. The bench, comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, emphasized that the claim for parity will have to be decided based on the qualifications acquired, treatment practices, functions, work, and duties of practitioners of traditional medicine systems. The court also highlighted the significant differences in the roles and responsibilities of AYUSH and MBBS doctors, stating that MBBS doctors deal with critical care, immediate lifesaving measures, invasive procedures, and surgeries, which are not typically performed by AYUSH practitioners.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Supreme Court of India has referred the matter of parity in pay, service conditions, and retirement age between AYUSH practitioners and MBBS doctors to a larger bench.
  • The two-judge bench emphasized that the claim for parity will have to be decided based on the qualifications acquired, treatment practices, functions, work, and duties of practitioners of traditional medicine systems.
  • MBBS doctors deal with critical care, immediate lifesaving measures, invasive procedures, and surgeries, which are not typically performed by AYUSH practitioners.
  • Rajasthan has different retirement ages for AYUSH and MBBS doctors, which the state claims is necessary to address the dearth of adequate number of allopathy doctors.
  • The court highlighted the significant difference in footfalls in allopathy institutions compared to institutions administering indigenous systems of medicine.

Statistics:

  • The Supreme Court of India has received a petition from Rajasthan on this matter.
  • The CJI-led bench has stated that there is an ambiguity in service conditions, especially with regard to retirement age and pay packages, for AYUSH and MBBS doctors.
  • The bench has referred to a previous decision stating that the footfalls in allopathy institutions are far more than in institutions administering indigenous systems of medicine.
  • AYUSH practitioners perform different functions and duties compared to MBBS doctors, including treatment practices and work.

Sources:

  • [Source: Indian Express, "SC refers AYUSH practitioners' parity claim to larger bench"](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-refers-ayush-practitioners-parity-claim-to-larger-bench-7467834/)
  • [Source: Times of India, "AYUSH doctors' demand for parity puts SC in a tight spot"](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ayushman-doctors-demand-for-parity-puts-sc-in-a-tight-spot/articleshow/74812986.cms)
  • [Source: Rajasthan Government, "Rajasthan Government's stance on different retirement ages for AYUSH and MBBS doctors"](https://rajasthan.gov.in/)

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