Doctors gathering at Secretariat gate to protest age limit issue

Doctors are gathering at the Secretariat gate to demand that the age limit for doctors in the 47th BCS exam be increased by two years to 34, as it was before, and that an immediate notification be issued.
The scene was seen at the Secretariat area in the capital at 3:00 pm on Sunday (January 19).

Earlier, the United Medical Organizations of Bangladesh (UMOB), a coalition of doctors and medical students, announced this program.

According to doctors, the notification for the 47th BCS exam specifies that the age limit for applicants is 21 to 32 years. However, while other BCS candidates need a minimum of 4 years to complete their undergraduate degrees, doctors require at least 78 months (6 and a half years) to finish their MBBS/BDS degree and internship. As a result, in previous BCS exams, the age limit for doctors was set at 32 years, while for others it was 30 years. However, in the latest notification, although the age limit for all other candidates has been increased by 2 years to 32, no such increase has been applied to doctors. This has led doctors to feel they are being treated unfairly.

Dr. Hasan Mamun, a member of UMOB's Central Collaboration Team (UMOB Media Team), stated, "The Ministry of Health has supported the doctors' demand for an age extension. On December 17, the Ministry of Health directed the Ministry of Public Administration to take the necessary steps. However, despite this, the Ministry of Public Administration has not yet issued the notification to extend the age limit for doctors."

"The application process for the 47th BCS began on December 29, and while all policymakers have been supportive of raising the age limit for doctors, the notification on this matter has been delayed," he added.