Assam: Deceased Doctor promoted to post of Assistant professor at medical college

Guwahati: Few months after Bihar, the Assam government is now reported to be facing heat for its embarrassing faux pas after the latest promotion list issued by the State Health Department promoted a deceased doctor to a post of assistant professor at a medical college. The doctor passed away two years ago. The list also figures names of a few doctors, who had submitted their resignations.

Earlier in June, the mega promotion list issued by the Bihar health department had been mired in similar controversy. It seems that now, this list issued by the Assam government is going to draw a lot of attention, as this slip-up is becoming frequent, which shows nothing but the lack of coordination between the medical colleges' administration and their respective state governments.

As suggested by The Assam Tribune, recently, the health department issued a list of promotions of doctors at various posts at the Government Medical College, however, unaware that it includes the names of those doctors, who have passed away years ago or have submitted their resignation letters to the government.

In particular, the blunder includes the name of Dr Dhrubajyoti Das, who was a Registrar in the Anesthesia department of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital (FAAMC), Barpeta. Dr Das had passed away in 2016, but the latest list of promotions mentioned his name and as per the list, he has been "promoted as an assistant professor" in the same medical college.

The Assam Tribune adds that the Principal of the medical college should have immediately informed the Government about the death of the doctor and official sources admitted that the information must have been misplaced in Dispur.

In addition, the promotion lists are cleared by a committee comprising officials from the Health and other concerned Departments, while, the Principals of the medical colleges are also invited to the meeting. This also raised questions on whether the Principal of Barpeta Medical College was invited to the meeting and whether he had pointed out that Dr Das is no longer alive.