with the intent to manage the shortage of experienced doctors, the government on Wednesday increased the retirement age of doctors under various ministries and departments, other than doctors of the Central Health Services (CHS), from 62 to 65 years.

These include doctors working under the ministry of AYUSH, Department of Defence (civilian doctors under Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Service), Department of Defence Production (Indian Ordnance Factories Health Service Medical Officers), dental surgeons under the department of health and family welfare, and the Ministry of Railways and of doctors working in higher education and technical institutions under the Department of Higher Education as well as port trusts.

The Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that this move is to ensure that patient care is not adversely affected. He added that work will be done separately to fill vacancies of doctors in these places.

In a separate statement issued later in the day, Health Minister J P Nadda welcomed the decision. He said that the decision may not have much financial implication as large numbers of posts are lying vacant and the present incumbents would continue to work in their existing capacity against sanctioned posts.  He added that around 1,445 doctors of various ministries/departments of the central government would be benefited by this move.