Even as the state government is trying to face the opposition onslaught, the government is confronted with yet another issue that may put it in the dock on the issue of alleged “doctoring” of age by the Director of Medical Education and Research (DMER) which runs 40 government medical colleges and hospitals in the state, including Asia’s biggest Sassoon General hospital in Pune.

Dr. SV Ghorpade, president of Maharashtra state medical teachers association, in letter sent to the Governor of Maharashtra Dr. K. Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Minister for Medical Education Dr. Vijay Kumar Gavit, Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Eknath Khadse of BJP and State chief secretary JP Dange has alleged that Dr. Wasudeo B. Tayade, who is holding the post of the DMER since year 2004 has “doctored” his age and demanded that he should be compulsorily retired from services immediately.

Dr. Ghorpade further stated that all the calls-mates of Dr. Tayade have retired from government service during the year 2009-09 and there is resentment amongst the medical teachers as to how Dr. Tayade still continues to be in the government service, continues to hold his post for seven long years and still not retired.

He pointed out that Dr. Tayade had taken admission for MBBS in the Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur in the year 1969 and according to rules it is mandatory that the candidate should have complete 18 ears of age at the time fo admission. Dr. Tayade’s age he alleged at the time of admission should have been the year 1951, but Dr. Tayade had mentioned his date of birth as November 10, 1952, which Dr. Ghorpade claimed appears to be misleading, incorrect, wrong and fudged in the records.

Dr. Ghorpade referred to the case of Dr. Lekha Pathak, Professor of Cardiology at the Grant Medical College in Mumbai, who was pulled by the Bombay High Court in August 1999 on charges of ‘doctoring’ her age and was compulsorily retired from services. The court had taken serious cognizance of Dr. Pathak’s suspected ‘doctoring’ of age and directed the government to retire her, Dr. Ghorpade said and pleaded that the government to examine the date of admission of Dr. Tayade to MBBS, his age in the Secondary School Certificate. He demanded that if the age is found to have been ‘doctored’ then the government should compulsorily retire him and also file criminal case for cheating. In the given circumstances, Dr. Tayade should not be given any extension, Dr. Ghorpade stated and warned the government that he would plead and move the Bombay High Court highlighting the Dr. Lekha Pathak judgment, if immediate action is not taken to remove Dr. Tayade.

The issue raised and the allegation leveled by the president of the state medical teachers association has snowballed into a major and serious issue, with the Opposition grabbing the opportunity to embarrass the government further.