Sign degrees in 24 hours, Delhi HC tells Ramadoss

NEW DELHI: There was relief — and joy — at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) on Monday, with the Delhi high court directing Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss to sign resident doctors’ degrees within 24 hours.

“The Union Health Minister shall affix his signature on 49 certificates/degrees as well as such other certificates of students who need to take admission for higher studies,” Justice S Ravinder Bhatt said. “The minister shall sign the certificates within 24 hours.”

“Whatever the court says, we’ll implement it. If they want the certificates to be signed, then it will be done,” said Ramdoss, reacting to the ruling.

The minister had refused to sign 700 medical degrees on the pretext that acting registrar Sandeep Agarwal was not authorised to sign the degrees since the standing council had not appointed him. Around 1,000 AIIMS resident doctors went on strike in protest. 

“The health minister has insulted AIIMS and we want him to resign. He has been playing dirty politics with the AIIMS administration and doctors. Now, his stunts are hurting medical students, “ said Arnab Pal, member of the Resident Doctors’ Association.

“If we do not get our certificate within 24 hours, we’ll move court, because it would mean contempt of court,” said Kumar Harsh, RDA’s spokesperson. 

“Further delay by the health minister in issuing certificates would mean the doctors would have to wait for another year to apply to universities,” said Pal.