The High Court on Tuesday held that the medicos who have been selected by J&K Public service Commission as medical officers will have to choose either their job or the post graduate courses they are pursuing.
Dismissing an interim application by 255 doctors seeking extension in time for their joining as medical officers, a bench of Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey said: “It is for the petitioners to decide as to whether they want to continue with the PG course or to join the post of medical officers they have been appointed.”
After hearing counsel of the petitioners and additional advocate General Shah Aamir the court said in the event the petitioners chose not to join the posts the government cannot be asked to keep the posts vacant.
“Therefore they are at liberty to fill up these posts out of the waiting list. So as to ensure making available the medical officers to the patients in the far flung areas,” the court said.
Counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners are undergoing PG courses in different disciplines of medical education at various institutes and in case they join the post they will have to leave the course half way. “This may deprive them of having higher medical degrees” he pleaded.
“But it is for the petitioners to decide as to whether they want to pursue PG course or join the post of medical officers against which post they have been appointed,” the court said.
The petitioners had challenged the government order asking them either to opt for appointment or opt out and go for PG courses of senior residency, registrarship and demonstratorship. They were directed to report at their places of postings within 10 days from the date of issuance of the order failing which their appointments would be deemed to have been cancelled and candidates from the waiting list will be considered for appointment.