Hiring of Medical Faculty: Show Cause notice to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences VC

Chandigarh: Asking as to why no strict action should be taken against them, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued show cause notice to the Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, on account of not complying with the High Court's earlier directive.

According to a recent report by Tribune, the HC took this action considering the petition filed by Dr Manjit Singh Jaura alleging irregularities in the hiring process at the medical institute.

In the year 2013, a petition was filed by one H S Nagra stating that most of the appointments in the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences were made without following any procedure as provided under Section 47 of the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Act, 1998. "No public notice or advertisement is given inviting applications and most of the persons, who are appointed, are over-aged. They are appointed on contract basis and are allowed to continue for number of years."

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Further, in May 2014, the university promised to adhere to the compulsory hiring procedures as directed by the HC. Relevant submission by the university are mentioned as under:

"… All appointments, teaching and non-teaching, in the University and its constituent colleges will henceforth be made on the basis of selection by duly constituted Selection Committees in pursuance to advertisement in leading national newspapers as also on the University website. The eligibility criteria for the post(s) will be based on the norms/criteria, if any, laid down in the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Act or by the relevant Apex statutory bodies like the Medical Council of India/Dental Council of India/Indian Nursing Council, or the State Government of Punjab…"

However, it has been purported that the university has not adhered to the High Court. Hence, the petitioner moved the court where the counsel on behalf of him pointed out that the writ petition was disposed of with clear-cut directions to the university regarding the framing of rules/regulations and making all appointments after advertising the posts.

It was averred that appointment letters had been issued in violation of the undertaking given before the court, and no advertisement was issued.

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The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the issues before the Bench were "whether the respondents had made themselves liable to be proceeded and punished under the Contempt of Courts Act and other relevant law by making appointment of a doctor and another person and re-designating another doctor against the directions of the High Court in May 2014."

Taking cognizance of the issue, the bench of Honourable Justice Nirmaljit Kaur issued show cause notices to Dr Raj Bahadur, VC at the University and two other respondents asking as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them in a service matter, reports Tribune.

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