The three-day strike by Primary Health Centre (PHC) doctors in Andhra Pradesh has concluded with a significant agreement. On Wednesday, health department officials consented to extend the in-service quota for postgraduate medical admissions to all 15 clinical branches, a crucial demand from the striking doctors.
The breakthrough came after a meeting held Wednesday evening at the Secretariat between Principal Secretary Saurabh Gaur, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner G. Veerapandian, and representatives from the A.P. Primary Health Centres’ Doctors’ Association.
Since Monday, PHC doctors across Andhra Pradesh had ceased all outpatient and emergency services, protesting the government’s decision to reduce their PG admission quota from 20% to 15% for the 2025-26 academic year. Further exacerbating their concerns, the government had initially limited this 15% quota to only seven clinical branches, leaving no reservation for doctors in the remaining eight specialties.
While the discussions on Wednesday did not result in an increase of the overall 15% in-service quota, the health department officials did agree to apply this quota uniformly across all 15 clinical branches. Regarding the doctors’ request to guarantee this arrangement for the next three years, officials promised to review the matter in November.
Other vital issues were also on the agenda, including demands for time-bound promotions and additional monthly allowances for PHC doctors serving in remote regions. According to Vinod Kumar, spokesperson for the association, officials indicated that promotions would be granted without an increment, and reports concerning allowances would be forwarded to the finance department.
The association representatives are currently reviewing the department’s proposals and have requested time before making a final decision. Despite appeals from officials to return to work, the doctors have chosen to continue their strike until a definitive resolution is reached. “Last year’s promises from the government to address our concerns went unfulfilled,” Dr. Vinod Kumar stated, reflecting the association’s cautious stance.