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SRINAGAR

Medical Council of India (MCI) has recommended a reduction of MBBS quota in Jehlum Valley College Bemina supervised and controlled by SK Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) Soura.

The MBBS quota was enhanced three years back from 50 to 100 seats. The documents in possession of CNS reveal that MCI has recommended to Ministry of Health and Family welfare to reduce the quota citing mismanagement and failure of SKIMS administration to rectify even minor deficiencies at JVC Bemina.

“SKIMS administration has miserably failed to rectify even the minor deficiencies at SKIMS Medical College Bemina which were identified and pointed out by Medical Council of India during their frequent inspections and assessment in 2014 and 2015.”

A letter of MCI vide number MC37(1)(R1-28) (UG)/2015-Med./153521 dated Dec,3,2015 to Secretary Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Government of India reveals that even minor deficiencies at JVC remained unaddressed.

Insiders said most of the queries raised by MCI could have been addressed within available resources, had SKIMS administration taken things seriously. “The lack of interest on part of SKIMS and non-availability of full time Principal at JVC since 2012 forced MCI to go for such recommendations.” They said such a serious lapse and callous approach on part of administration speaks volumes of mismanagement which has forced many faculty members to leave JVC Bemina with the result a little faculty deficiency of 8.6% observed by MCI on 25 March, 2015  has increased to 20.3% in Dec 2015.

“The ‘irresponsible and insensitive’ approach of SKIMS Soura administration can be gauged from the fact that MCI has pointed out that Medical College lacks toilet facilities for Common Rooms meant for both male and female students. MCI further points out that declaration forms were not filled properly as per the new format. There are no separate rooms for males and females for injection and dressing.”

Some of the doctors working in SKIMS said that the main interest of SKIMS administration is in purchases and recruitments. They said that Government must fix responsibility for the lapses and other irregularities on SKIMS administration. “It will be a major setback of the aspiring students if Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Government of India accepts the recommendations of Medical Council of India,” they said and alleged that Director SKIMS is interested in purchasing process only.

They alleged that since the day the incumbent Director took charge his interest in purchasing process became clear when he sidelined the Material management department of SKIMS with more than 50 officials, by issuing a circular vide number SIMS (D) 995 of 2011 dated Oct,20, 2011  wherein he gave directions that tenders should be issued and received by Directors office and not by the Material Management Department as had been the practice at SKIMS for over 25 years till 2011.

In response to the letter from MCI  he shot a letter no; SIMS/Acad- MBBS -1/15-9513-15 dated19-12-2015  to the Secretary Health & Medical Education department requesting him to take up the matter with MCI and stressed the deficiency of faculty and infrastructure as the reason for negative feedback from MCI. Behind these two issues there is a hidden self-interest.

He has wilfully and deliberately misleads the Govt by showing  the number of faculty members in SKIMS Soura and SKIMS Medical College Bemina on lower side than what actually is (140 against the actual figure of 215) so that he gets a chance to fill in 30 vacant posts in which his prime interest  of corruption & adjustment of  his daughter-in-law who was not eligible till the last advertisement notice issued in 2015 and that being the reason no selection was done for advertisements issued in 2013, 2014.

Interviews were delayed for more than two years to see that his daughter-in-law becomes eligible first and once she became eligible he tried to push his agenda of interviews on war footing with a false plea that college is facing de-recognition on account of shortage of faculty, but no one is asking him how you are misleading the government by providing wrong information about the number of existing faculty which is 215 and not 140.

The clandestine design did not materialise as the eligible candidates made several representations to the government highlighting the self-interest of Director SKIMS and even Faculty Forum of SKIMS Medical College requested government to post a Principal from Senior faculty members of the college  before any selection process is done as the Principal of SKIMS Medical College is the Member Secretary of the Selection committee constituted vide order no; 09-2005 0f SKIMS dated January 09,2005  for selection and promotion of faculty at SKIMS Medical College Bemina.

However, he continues to pressurise the Govt. to conduct the interviews in order to accommodate his daughter in law before his retirement on ending May 2016, by hook or by crook and by showing deficiency of faculty as an important issue frivolously.

A group of senior doctors from JVC fumed that actual deficiency of faculty figured in the Discipline of Biochemistry and Paediatrics long back and advertisement notice no 02 of SKIMS-MC of 2013 dated 23-9-2013. The post of Professor was advertised and the only eligible candidate namely Prof Mir Mohammad Muzaffar was called for interview which was never conducted and only dates notified and instead he was asked to pay bribe of Rs 10 lac for his appointment later on in 2014 as is clear from his statement in the press that time and also lodging a complaint in the Vigilance Department in 2015.

Similarly, Dr Niyaz Ahmad previously working as Professor and superannuated from SKIMS Medical College Bemina itself was deprived contractual appointment in the starving department of Paediatrics by showing him not eligible subsequent to an advertisement.

Another interest is infrastructure and purchases as is evident from the fact that machinery and equipment is purchased first and then to adjust the same, space is carved out by demolition and reconstruction involving huge financial burdens and compromise on the existing infrastructure and its design as from day one Director has violated the Financial code by being himself all in one: an officer who generates a requisition in the capacity of holding additional charges of  Principal JVC, Medical Superintendent Trust Hospital in 2011-2013 and HOD of many departments including Gastroenterology, recommended the same in the capacity of Chief of the Material Management SKIMS Soura from 2011-2014 and Approving Authority in the capacity of Director & Ex Officio Secretary to Govt SKIMS Soura. Many complaints by faculty, Non Gazetted Employees Union, failed to draw attention of higher authorities and instead he would involve them in frivolous cases and then initiate disciplinary action against them only to keep them away from the scene so that he does all wrongs, irregularities with impunity, fumed a few senior doctors and paramedics.

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