Halt all medical faculty requirements through DSB: Maharashtra tells Government Medical Colleges

Nagpur: The government resolution dated March 6, 2018, has directed Deans of all Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals (GMC) to halt all assistant professor(lecturer), recruitments through the Divisional Selection Board (DSB).The government’s decision in this matter has led to dissatisfaction among lecturers in GMCH Nagpur, as all of them in the past have been DSB recruitments.

Presently, lecturer recruitments take place through the DSB headed by the dean for a 120 day's period; with the Mantralaya issuing a letter of appointment for 364 days. GMCH, Nagpur has about 100 lecturers at the trauma center and the super specialty hospital (SSH). If these teachers are done away with, there would be dismal teaching left in the institution.

Dr Samir Golawar, Executive, Secretary, Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association (MSMTA) talking to the TOI said that this change would set a bad precedent and place hurdles in the way of imparting quality medical education and providing of patient care.

The DSB lecturers claim that this change will deny them the basic right to work.

“MSMTA demands that this GR is reverted immediately. When there is no system to fill the posts of the assistant professors on a regular basis, how can the government stop local DSB recruitments? The justification given by the government is that the DSB lecturers' seek court intervention to continue their services is not correct. The government doesn’t regularize their services for over 10-15 years and they continue to work on a temporary basis for years together and hence they are left with no option but to knock the court’s doors. If the recruitments are conducted through MPSC, they will not approach the court,” Dr Golawar told the daily.

He also challenged this decision saying that lecturers were the backbone of the medical education system, as they besides teaching the MBBS strengths, also tutored dental, BPMT, occupational and physiotherapy and nursing students.

“Now the government has also added students of modern pharmacology. There is no separate teaching staff for these courses. If the DSB lecturers are removed what will happen to the system. It is bound to collapse. Either government should regularize them as done in 2009 and 2016 or continue them on a temporary basis,” added Dr Golawar.

College Dean, Dr A Niswade told TOI that the GR also mentions that lecturer appointments call for the signing of bonds. There is another clause in the resolution that states that if the appointees are wanted after the bond period, the administration, through the Deans, is to send yearly proposals, mentioning the number of vacancies available by the beginning of April- May.

“So there is hope. I have already sent the proposal,” Niswade added.