In a shocking revelation, despite being trained to handle medico-legal duties such as autopsies and forensic examinations, eight doctors with postgraduate degrees in forensic medicine are currently stationed at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across Tamil Nadu. Instead of using their specialized training, they are attending to general outpatient cases, including fevers, coughs, and antenatal care.
This situation arises at a time when government medical colleges in the state are facing a significant shortage more than 70 positions for assistant professors and senior residents in forensic medicine remain vacant, out of 265 sanctioned posts.
Due to the absence of a distinct recruitment channel for specialists in Tamil Nadu’s medical services, many postgraduates with MD or MS degrees have had to apply through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) exam meant for assistant surgeons a position typically requiring only an MBBS qualification.
Among those affected are doctors who completed an MD in forensic medicine and cleared the 2025 MRB examination. They were subsequently posted to PHCs under the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. Their current responsibilities include routine outpatient care, antenatal screenings, and school health checks roles far removed from their core forensic training.
“We are trained to manage medico-legal responsibilities like autopsies, age assessments, and examinations in cases of sexual assault, as well as to serve as expert witnesses in court. But with the specialist MRB exam discontinued years ago, our only option was to enter through the general assistant surgeon recruitment process,” said one of the affected doctors.
Many of them had previously worked in government hospitals as Non-Service Postgraduates (NSPGs) during their bond period, but mechanisms that once allowed for regular absorption of NSPGs into the system have been phased out, further narrowing their career prospects.
Uneven Transfers Raise Concerns
In recent months, other specialists including gynaecologists, paediatricians, anaesthetists, and general medicine doctors who were recruited via MRB and posted to PHCs have been transferred to government hospitals under the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS). Over 350 such transfers have reportedly taken place. However, forensic specialists remain excluded from these relocation opportunities despite repeated representations.
“Just last week, some general surgery and medicine doctors were moved to DMS hospitals through counselling, but our requests to be posted in medical college hospitals have gone unanswered,” another doctor pointed out.
Department Aware, May Initiate Counselling
Sources within the Health Department suggested that counselling sessions may be organized to reassign specialists recruited through the 2025 MRB exam, ensuring that in-service doctors’ seniority and placement rights are preserved while also addressing the high number of vacancies in specialty departments.
Officials confirmed that the department is reviewing batch-wise lists of doctors and noted that another batch of in-service postgraduates is expected to complete their training by October, which may provide an opportunity to fill some of the remaining vacancies.
(With inputs from The Hindu)
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