MSMTA accuses DME for neglecting non clinical subjects

Nagpur: The State's Medical Education Department is re-routing the teachers from non-clinical subjects towards clinical subjects claimed the Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association (MSMTA). According to Dr Samir Golawar, President, MSMTA's Nagpur Chapter and Executive Secretary, State MSMTA, "Nearly a month ago, state recruitment board advertised on all platforms about vacancies of teachers in clinical as well as non-clinical subjects. However, no interviews were held for non-clinical subjects."

The Dean, Government Medical College, and Hospital (GMCH), Dr A Nisawde, on Monday, received a memorandum in this regard from the MSMTA. The Teachers’ Association members will also be meeting the Medical Education Minister, Girish Mahajan, on 7^th February in Mumbai to discuss the issue and familiarize the Minister with it, reports TOI.

The requirement of MCI calls for each department appointing one professor, two associate professors, five or six lecturers and five tutors. However, there are no tutors in medical colleges. which leads one to conclude that soon there may not be, any teachers to teach non-clinical subjects MSMTA pointed out.

According to Dr Golawar due to the paucity of tutors, even for clinical subjects, the MBBS course teachers have been seen making extra inputs and teaching greater numbers including those from other medical branches like dental, homeopathy, modern pharmacy, occupational therapy, nursing, physiology and paramedical technology.

"It is a norm to recruit thirty percent more teachers than minimum criteria," he said, adding that MSMTA had objected to this overlooking on the part of the DME.

"Orissa government has come out with a solution to encourage students to take up non-clinical subjects. It offers a stipend of Rs 18,000 for every student who takes up non-clinical subjects to motivate students to go for teaching as a profession," Dr. Golawar told TOI.

Incidentally, Pre-clinical subjects include Physiology, Anatomy and Biochemistry. While para-clinical subjects comprise of Pharmacology, Pathology, Forensic Medicine, Microbiology and Preventive and Social Measures (PSM).