Medical students and practicing doctors are demanding the state government to increase the upper age limit for recruitment of doctors in hospitals to 40 years from 32 presently.

The move follows a recent government advertisement for the recruitment of 3,278 physicians in the state. On Monday, Pramod Meherda, secretary of the health and family welfare department, wrote to the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to conduct the necessary tests for the enrollment of doctors in hospitals.

The medicos said the state had received less number of applicants for the post of doctors because of the upper age limit. A doctor said that if the state government can ease the upper age limit for teachers, then should be done in case of doctors too. There is a shortage of doctors in the state and the government does not get many candidates for the posts.

He further added that the government had earlier received 1,700 applicants, against 1,900 vacant posts. The same thing might happen this time again if the state government does not take any precautions. If the government increases the upper age limit, more candidates will be eager to join.

Other states had already relaxed upper age limits. The upper age limit in Goa, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh is 45. Also, other states have increased it to more than 40 years to get more experienced and specialist doctors. They have already sent a memorandum to the health and family welfare minister Naba Kishore Das in this matter.

On 24th October 2019, the higher education department had decided to increase the upper age limit to 48 years from 33 years for the recruitment of 606 teachers in government degree colleges. Health minister Naba Kishore Das said that he would surely look into the matter after going through the demand.