Srinagar, Aug 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is being sharply criticized for going ahead with framing a common seniority list of medicos working in Government medical colleges in Srinagar and Jammu regions.
 The Medical Faculty Association—an amalgam of faculty members of the Government Medical College and Government Dental College Srinagar— has called the government move as an ‘extreme step fraught with dangers’. The MFA has urged the government to reconsider the decision or else face stiff resistance.
 The anger comes in the wake of an order (898-GAD of 2011) whereby the General Administration Department has on August 8 constituted a committee to decide on the common seniority for two medical colleges of the state—something which has disappointed the Valley-based medicos.
 The MFA has now drafted a representation to the state government, asking it to reconsider the decision if it is committed to the progress and prosperity of GMC Srinagar.
 The representation, copy of which is with Greater Kashmir, puts the 2006 decision on bifurcation of seniority of the two medical colleges, in a proper context. It explains why the step was taken in the first place.
 “It was due to non-joining of faculty members of GMC Jammu at GMC Srinagar—who were promoted and posted at GMC Srinagar from 1990 to 2005—that caused a crisis situation at GMC Srinagar. It resulted in acute shortage of faculty positions and de-recognition of post-graduate courses by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in some specialties. As a result, the teaching and patient care got severely affected,” says Dr. Sajad Majid Qazi, the MFA General Secretary. “The MFA pleaded that 61 members of GMC Jammu faculty, who were promoted/appointed on GMC Srinagar posts from 1990 to September 2005 and subsequently posted at GMC Srinagar, have failed to join at GMC Srinagar and managed to get themselves retained at GMC Jammu, thereby blocking the posts and promotions of otherwise eligible faculty members of GMC Srinagar. As a result, faculty members of GMC Srinagar, despite being eligible for promotions, got stagnated and GMC faculty positions got depleted by 50 percent.”
 The MFA said the intake capacity of postgraduate/diploma candidates in 2005 at GMC Srinagar dropped to 55/19 as against 108/24 at GMC Jammu. “Since the Government says it is committed to uniform development of all institutions, it must not allow one institution to grow at the cost of other. GMC Srinagar has been the worst hit so far,” it argued.
 Finally, subsequent to a cabinet decision of 2nd March 2006, chaired by then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the government separated the seniority of two medical colleges of the state vide order no 123 dated 3 March 2006, with an option to choose either of the two colleges. This has been exercised since.

IMPLICATIONS OF COMMON SENIORITY
 The medicos believe that the common seniority move was only aimed at “favouring some blue-eyed faculty members as promotions against faculty positions of GMC Srinagar vide Departmental Promotion Committee are due.”
 “This is sheer injustice. It is an attempt to favour blue eyed faculty members and rob us off our newly created super specialty posts,” Dr Sajad told Greater Kashmir. “It is an extreme move. It would cause further stagnation of eligible faculty members of GMC Srinagar and also lead to depletion of positions. This can in turn cause the possibility of MCI de-recognition of GMC Srinagar, which we can’t allow.”
 The medicos say the initiative would affect training and research work of postgraduate students as their guides could be transferred. “This would also trigger chaos and confusion with respect of seniority issue of newly recruited lecturers appointed on same dates in two medical colleges, subsequent to separate notifications for new recruitments by Public service Commission, after bifurcation of seniority,” they said. “It will affect promotion prospects of 69 lecturers at GMC Srinagar for no fault of theirs. These lecturers were appointed after separation of seniority with their consent to serve at Government Medical College, Srinagar / Government Medical College, Jammu.”
 The medicos say the separation of faculty benefited both colleges.
 “There was improvement in faculty positions which led to recognition of Post Graduate courses by MCI in specialties of Psychiatry, ENT, Pathology, Orthopaedics, Dermatology and Ophthalmology. There was also improvement in intake capacity of Post-Graduate/Diploma courses. Intake capacity in 2011 is 76/24 in Government Medical College, Srinagar as against 55/19 in 2005. The appointment of senior faculty members of Government Medical College Srinagar as Principal/Dean was welcome. It has been an outstanding contribution by them since 2006 in all areas like academics, structure, equipment, patient-care, starting of super-specialty services and creation of posts,” the medicos said.
 The MFA has resolved to oppose the decision firmly “as it is against the interests of GMC Srinagar and its faulty.”  The MFA has called its General Body meet on August 25 to pass a resolution against the common seniority move, sources said.

GOVT SAYS COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE
 A state government officer, privy to the issue, said the GAD has already formed a committee to examine the matter. “It is for the committee to take a final call after giving due consideration to all facts and figures,” the officer, wishing anonymity, said.
 He said if the GMC Srinagar faculty has any grievance, they must put the same before the committee or the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah so that a balanced view of the issue is taken.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 21 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST