Adhocism: Medical colleges in region awaiting principals

Struggled to appoint principals in the government medical colleges of Jammu region in the past on a permanent basis, the health and medical education department will have its work cut out with two new colleges opening shortly, while the principal of GMC Kathua retiring in the current year.

Now the deliberations are on in the department whether to appoint principals on the permanent basis or give the additional charge to incumbent principals. At present, apart from Government Medical Colleges and Associated Hospitals Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri and Doda, Ayurveda Medical Colleges are functioning in Jammu division.

Moreover from this session, preparations are going on in full swing to open a new medical college in Udhampur. But only three out of six colleges have principals.

The main reason for senior professors of GMC, Jammu declining to become principal for district medical colleges was lack of permanent appointment. It has been seen in the past that senior professors at Rajouri, Kathua and Doda Medical Colleges were not appointed on a permanent basis.

Despite being appointed principal, the government does not give them grades of principals.
Dr. Shashi Sudan has been appointed as the permanent principal in Government Medical college and Associated Hospitals Jammu. She is also holding the additional charge of Principal of Rajouri Medical College and Akhnoor Ayurveda Medical College.

Moreover, Kathua Medical College Principal Dr. Anjali Nadir Bhat is going to retire this year. This position will also become vacant by the end of this year. The principal of Doda Medical College will also retire next year. At the same time, no one has been appointed as the principal in Udhampur. In such a situation, discussions are going on in GMC Jammu these days on whether new principals will be appointed in Udhampur, Kathua and Rajouri this year. No permanent principal was appointed in Rajouri Rajouri Medical College since it started in August 2019. Since then only the acting principals were being appointed.

The situation is also similar in the Doda Medical College. Professor Dr. Tariq Azad was made the first Principal in the Department of Surgery. He was given an extension of one year after retirement. After this, HOD of Community Medicine GMC Jammu, Dr. Dinesh Kumar was made the acting principal but he took retirement a year ago.

Even Kathua College did not get a permanent principal. Dr. Bela Mahajan was made the first principal. Dr. Shashi Sudan, the current principal of GMC, was also made the acting principal of this college. Now Dr. Anjali Nadir has also been made Incharge Principal.

As per rules, a candidate for the principal should be a professor with five years of teaching experience. There are a number of doctors who meet the criteria, but the candidates are reluctant to leave GMC and joint other colleges.