Patna, Sept. 11: Three teachers of the Government Medical College, Bettiah, have applied for voluntary retirement citing deficiency in infrastructure, apparently the reason they were transferred there.

Sources confirmed that the lack of infrastructure was the primary reason behind the three doctors applying for voluntary retirement.

While the health department has approved the application of R.K. Rai, who had been transferred to the microbiology department of the college earlier this year, it has kept the decision regarding V.K. Sinha, who was made the college principal , and A.K. Sinha, the head of pharmacology, pending.

Rai had been transferred to Bettiah from Patna Medical College and Hospital, while V.K. Sinha and A.K. Sinha from Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur.

A source told The Telegraph: “Yes, all three doctors have applied for voluntary retirement because they were not happy with the college infrastructure. A.K. Sinha was set to retire next month. His desperation for taking voluntary retirement because of the infrastructure-related deficiencies is evident. Why would any doctor want to take voluntary retirement just a month before his actual retirement?” said the official.

He added: “One of the deficiencies pointed out by the Medical Council of India when derecognising the courses of the state-run medical colleges is that they did not meet the requirement of teachers. So, we are trying not to entertain such kind of proposals. The Bettiah institute is a new college. Obviously, it would have deficiencies. But we have already began ironing out the deficiencies.”

Sources said R.K. Rai, who was transferred to the microbiology department of the institute did not get voluntary retirement so easily.

Rai said: “The department principal secretary had asked the personnel department on which ground it could reject my request for voluntary retirement. Last year, Patna High Court had asked the state government to approve the voluntary retirement of government officials without any delay. I again shot off a letter to the department, seeking approval for my voluntary retirement on this ground and finally, the department approved it,” said Rai.

Though Rai did not clearly admit that he applied for voluntary retirement because of deficiencies in the infrastructure of the college, he was vocal about such issues. “The microbiology laboratory is not ready. Students attend theory classes in the college but one cannot become doctor that way,” said Rai.

The Telegraph could not contact A.K. Sinha and V.K. Sinha in spite of several attempts.