The Union Cabinet on June 27 cleared a Health Ministry proposal to transfer senior doctors with the Central government and its entities above the age of 62 years for teaching and execution of national public health programmes.

"The approval seeks to ensure that the doctors belonging to Central Health Service (CHS) and of other ministries, departments or entities of the Central government, after attaining the age of 62 years, work exclusively in their respective fields of clinical expertise," Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters in a briefing about the Cabinet decisions. The Cabinet approved the strengthening of teaching, patient/clinical care and public health programme implementation by shifting of more experienced doctors belonging to Central government and Central government entities to these activities, he said.

As per an official statement, the decision "will result in capacity building and leadership development of more Central government doctors besides availability of more experienced doctors for medical education, clinical-patient care services and for implementation of national health programmes". The Cabinet in its June 15, 2016 meeting had raised the age of superannuation of doctors of the Central Health Service to 65 years to tackle the problem of shortage of doctors, low joining and high attrition rate in the service.

Subsequently, on September 27, 2017, the Cabinet also increased the age of superannuation of doctors in various ministries and departments including those of Indian Railways, AYUSH and Central Universities, etc. to 65 years. "It is, however, felt that there is a need to make available the services of senior doctors above the age of 62 years for core medical profession. The benefits of this proposal will percolate down the line throughout the country," the statement said.

The Cabinet approved another Health Ministry proposal to enhance the age of superannuation of General Duty Medical Officers, Specialist Grade doctors and teaching medical faculty working in Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal to 65 years. The government decision to bring BMHRC doctors at par with doctors of CHS will meet the shortage of faculty and specialist doctors in the hospital and improve the patient care facility to the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy and members of their families, it said.