Resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, who have been on an indefinite strike since Tuesday evening, gave a 5 pm deadline to the authorities on Wednesday to hand over their degrees.

"We have decided to intensify our agitation and stop work in all departments if we do not get our degrees by 5 pm this evening," said Dr Kumar Harsh, president of the AIIMS Residents Doctors Association, after a general body meeting in New Delhi.

According to the striking doctors, Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss is responsible for the current situation. "If the minister wants, he can solve the problem within 15 minutes. We just want our degrees and nothing else," said Harsh.

Over 30 doctors were detained on Tuesday night when they tried to march towards Ramadoss's house to register their protest. They were released on Wednesday morning.

The strike, which began at 7 pm on Tuesday, has brought services at the premier health institute to a standstill. Scores of patients were seen waiting in front of non-functioning out-patient departments, while those who had come from far-flung areas were seen waiting outside the hospital.

However, the striking doctors said that the functioning of the emergency services and the intensive care unit would not be affected. The striking doctors have alleged that medical students who have cleared MBBS, MD and DM courses from AIIMS have not received their degrees for the last three years.

Medical students were facing problems while seeking jobs or pursuing higher studies abroad, as they did not have their original certificates, said the agitating doctors.