Hunt for PGI director: Health Ministry calls for Applicant's meet

Chandigarh: All the 32 applicants who have applied for the post of Director, PGI have been called for an interaction on October 20th . The interactive meeting will be held at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Department. This is quite unprecedented as earlier only 8-10 applicants used to be called for screening and shortlisting.

According to sources, no format has been announced. It is not certain whether the candidates would be asked to make a presentation. "It is expected that there shall be a brief interview regarding vision for PGI," said an official of PGI.

Sources in the Union Health Ministry, inform that five of the 32 applicants are from outside the PGI, while the rest are all from within the institute.

"Most contenders are from PGI,however, this time, the ministry will not hesitate to give priority to faculty members outside PGI," said a ministry official.

The applicant interview shall be chaired by Union Health Minister, J.P. Nadda, along with Health Secretary H.C.K Mishra

"After the interview, names of selected top three candidates shall be forwarded by the screening committee," stated a senior faculty member.

Following are the names of some front runners for the post: Dr Jagat Ram, Head,Advanced Eye Centre; Dr Arunaloke Chakrabarti, Head, MicrobiologyDepartment; Dr G D Puri, Head Anaesthesia; Dr Meenu Singh, Department of Paediatrics and Dr Anil Bhansali, Head, Endocrinology. All aspirants for the post are doctors, except -Dr K Gauba,who is Head, Oral Health Sciences.