J-K: Non-gazetted employees of five GMC's continue protest in Doda; demand service rules notification

Doda (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 19 (ANI): Non-gazetted employees of Jammu and Kashmir's five new Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) continued their indefinite peaceful protest for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.
They are demanding immediate finalisation and notification of the recruitment and service rules that have been pending for the past seven years.
The protest is being held by employees of the new GMCs in Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua, and Rajouri.
While speaking to ANI from the protest site, one of the protesters said that the agitation had been going on over the long-pending issue and that the employees had a "single demand".
"This protest did not just begin today. We have a single demand and a single objective: the service rules for non-gazetted employees have not yet been framed, notified, or finalised," the protester said.

"There are approximately 300 employees at GMC Doda, but only 50 per cent of the staff are at the protest site because patient care remains our first and foremost priority," he said. "The staff currently protesting are those who have night duties; they have come here after completing their night shifts. Those with late shifts will join duty after 2 PM," he said.
Questioning the delay in framing service rules, the protestor alleged discrimination against non-gazetted employees of the new GMCs. "We have just one issue with the department: why is there such discrimination against the non-gazetted employees of the new GMCs?" he said.

Earlier in the month, a controversy erupted at Government Medical College (GMC) Doda after Doda MLA Mehraj Malik alleged an examination paper leak and sought an immediate inquiry, while the college administration categorically denied the allegations.
The allegations at GMC Doda come after the broader controversy over NEET paper leaks, which triggered protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and led to the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. (ANI)