After MCI pressure, Jharkhand defines new rules for appointment of medical college top bosses

New service rules will expectantly bring stability to the Government Medical Colleges ' administration.

Ranchi: The state government, in its endeavour to improve the administrations at government-run medical colleges, has finally addressed the issue of obsolete service rules for the appointment and promotion of medical teachers.

Following the recommendation made by the Medical Council of India, the state government has issued a notification stating that only the senior-most and the second senior-most Professors will be eligible for the post of Principal and Hospital Superintendent of medical colleges for a period of three years.

At present, the state runs two medical colleges - Patliputra Medical College Hospital (PMCH) in Dhanbad, and Mahatma Gandhi Medical College Hospital (MGMCH) in Jamshedpur.

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Jharkhand was carved out of the state of Bihar in the year 2000. Since then, it followed the latter's rules which are no different from the newly notified guidelines, in appointing Principals and Hospital Superintendents. However, the state had no rules of its own on the same that's why it overrode the seniority criterion in most appointments of these posts.

These issues allegedly led to resentment among the faculty at government medical colleges as many a time instead of senior professors, ineligible medical teachers were appointed for the posts of Principals and Hospital Superintendents.

The same matter came to the notice of the apex medical council, which raised questions over some appointments in the medical colleges.

HT reports that the new rules, which were notified by newly appointed Principal Health Secretary Dr Nitin Madan Kulkarni on November 22, are in consonance with the Medical Council of India's guidelines.

The state government can also name an outsider as the Superintendent of a medical college if she fulfils the eligibility criteria.

A step to improve administrations

New service rules will expectantly bring stability to the Government Medical Colleges' administration. "In the absence of the state's own service rules, established norms of seniority were not followed and junior professors were given the top posts. This created a lot of resentment not among senior teachers but also MCI. Last year, the state government, under duress from MCI, had to remove PMCH Superintendent Dr Sanyal and Dr Bhushan of MGMMCH who did not fulfil eligibility criteria," a senior medical teacher attached to Patliputra Medical College informed HT.

No professor completed a three-year term

It has been reported that in the past eight years, Patliputra Medical College has seen five Principals. Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College has witnessed six superintendents since 2010, but none of them, barring the incumbent, could complete their three-year term.

However, with these new service rules in power, the professors, who will be appointed in the near future for the said posts; will hold their respective posts for three whole years.

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