Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 2 : The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) announced a statewide candlelight protest and sit-ins at all medical colleges at 6.30 p.m. on Friday to highlight the deepening frustration among faculty over unresolved grievances.

This will be followed by a statewide sit-in at 1 pm on October 10, signalling a further escalation if the government fails to act.

Kerala has 12 government medical colleges offering MBBS programmes, with a total of 1,755 MBBS seats.

These colleges are a significant part of the state's medical education system,

The association has been pressing the government on several long-standing issues, including unpaid salaries, dearness allowance arrears, discrepancies in entry-level cadre pay, and the failure to create new teaching posts in newly established medical colleges.

Relocating existing faculty without creating additional posts has compounded staffing shortages, affecting both education and healthcare delivery.

KGMCTA officials noted that these challenges have also hindered the induction of young doctors into the system.

Earlier this month, the association staged a "black day" protest on September 22 and a statewide sit-in on September 23 to draw attention to these concerns.

Despite assurances from the state cabinet, no concrete steps have been taken to address the demands, prompting the escalation. KGMCTA President Dr Roshnara Begum T. and General Secretary Dr Aravind C.S. warned that if the government continues to ignore these issues, the association may escalate actions through stepwise teaching boycotts and even outpatient service strikes, emphasising the seriousness of the situation.

The protests underscore growing discontent among medical college faculty in Kerala, who seek timely settlement of salary and allowance arrears, correction of pay anomalies, and adequate staffing to ensure quality medical education and patient care.

The October 3 candlelight protests and October 10 sit-ins mark a decisive phase in the ongoing standoff, signalling that the KGMCTA is prepared to intensify its agitation if the state government does not urgently address the long-pending demands of the faculty.

/IANS