In May 2005, Jawaharlal Nehru institute of Post-graduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry (JIPMER) plans to stage a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to resist the central government’s move to confer autonomy to JIPMER in the name of further development.  The dharna is being organised by People’s Action Committee consisting of political parties, trade unions and service and mass organisations.  Their leaders will address the dharna.

The People’s Action Committee believes that that autonomy is detrimental to the interests of the people and to the patients who now get free treatment at this reputed institution. At present students undergoing medical education and allied courses are doing it at the minimum affordable low fees. Once it becomes autonomous, the employees of JIPMER will lose their present status of ‘central government employees’.

The People’s Action Committee considers that the autonomy is not a panacea for the ills afflicting JIPMER today but it is guided by the view that adequate allotment of funds required for the maintenance, expansion, research and development activities with introduction of more specialties, additional wards and beds, decentralisation of powers for quicker clearance of development proposals and filling up of 600-odd vacancies in Group A to Group D posts will go a long way in the development of JIPMER as a premier institute of excellence in hospital treatment, medical education and research.

In April 2005, the People’s Action Committee conducted a series of programmes starting with a signature campaign, human chain, mass rally and also a people’s bandh on 28 April in Pondicherry.