Faculty shortage: No Principals, PG medicos teaching MBBS students at Telangana Medical colleges

Hyderabad: While many Telangana Medical Colleges are struggling to get the Medical Council of India (MCI) recognition, though the issue of faculty shortage seem to be smacking them down miserably.

According to recent media accounts, the government medical colleges in the state are reeling in faculty shortage, thus compromising the quality of medical education.

TNIE reports that 10 medical colleges in and around the city are operating without principals and nearly 60 per cent of the medical colleges do not have full-time faculty. Due to the severe faculty crunch, Post-Graduate (PG) medicos are teaching MBBS students in the Government Medical Colleges, instead of certified medical professors.

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Over the last decade, the number of medical colleges, both government and private, in the state have apparently doubled but with no fresh recruitment, these medical institutions went on to suffer from faculty shortage.

As a resolution to this issue, last year, the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) had issued a notification for recruitment of 274 Assistant Professors in different departments of government medical colleges.

However, according to experts, there are more than 400 vacancies in these medical institutions. After this, no other step has reportedly been taken by the government.

In contrast to TSPSC's action, the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) came in opposition last week, stating that TSPSC has failed miserably in addressing the problem of shortage of faculty in teaching hospitals across the state. The HRDA members requested the government to transfer requirement procedure to 'Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board' to speed up the recruitment process.

The association submitted a representation to the Department of Health Medical and Family Welfare seeking intervention in the recruitment process of DME teaching staff.

Speaking to TOI, HRDA President said, "In March 2017, there were 274 vacancies in all medical colleges. After that many professors retired and few of them were promoted. TSPSC made no effort to fill the vacancies and this negligence can cost many colleges their recognition. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Adilabad and Government Medical College in Nizamabad are the most affected."

The Nizamabad Medical Colleges has only one professor. It has 201 sanctioned staff, but currently has only 89 teaching in the college, adds TNIE.

He added, "When the medical recruitment board is formed with the sole purpose to handle recruitment in medical colleges, it doesn't make sense to give the responsibility to TSPSC."

A similar situation like this was earlier reported from Punjab-based government medical institutions where the PG medicos were taking classes of MBBS students.

Read Also: PG Medicos taking Classes of MBBS Students: Govt Medical Colleges reel in Faculty Shortage