J&K govt plans change in GMCs’ administrative powers

23 January 2022

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Srinagar, Jan 23: Health and Medical Education Department in J&K has proposed to empower administrators, personal officers and administrative officers of Government Medical Colleges and Subordinate Departments of Health and Medical Education Department with powers which have traditionally remained with the principals of GMCs in J&K.

As per the official proposal, the duties, responsibilities and functions of the administrators, personal officers and administrative officers will be to look into matter of Supervision of Non-Gazetted employees, Personal matters of all employees ((Gazetted/Non Gazetted) viz. promotions, seniority lists, APRs, departmental enquiries/vigilance cases/in-situ promotions etc), Public Grievances and their redressal, Timely reference of vacancies, Ensuring updated seniority lists, as on 1 January of each calendar year, of all the categories of employees (Gazetted/Non Gazetted), Service records of all employees (Gazette & Non Gazetted),Service records of the staff engaged under academic arrangement, Records of staff engaged on outsourcing basis, Budget and Planning matters, Chairman of Survey Boards, Chairman of Local Purchase Committee up to Rs…., Training of Non-Gazetted Employees, All matters related to Estates Division of Medical College(s) particularly providing of accommodation to staff/students, maintenance of Government accommodations, electrification, sanitation, cleanliness in and around hostel premises etc, Monitoring of funds provided by the J&K NHM under various schemes and providing of utilization certificates thereof, Monitoring of Hospital Development Funds on monthly basis and its utilization thereof, RTI Act/Rules, All Information Technology (IT) related issues and timely updation of official website(s), Vigilance for the concerned Medical College(s)/departments, All the affairs of the students of the Medical college and AMT Schools with regard to admission/NMC procedures/Hostels/Wardens etc., Legal Matters, All matters related to service and utilities, Sanitation and cleanliness and Securities.

The proposal reads that in order to settle the aforesaid issues, the hierarchical channel/pyramid for Government Medical College, Jammu/Srinagar for examining/routing the files and submitting the information to the Administrative Departments as well as concerned quarters shall be administrative officers of GMC Srinagar/Jammu forwarding files to personal officers who will forward them to administrators of the said colleges except policy decisions/issues which shall be decided by the concerned Principal.

Furthermore in order to settle the issues, the hierarchical channel/pyramid for examining/routing the files and submitting the information to the Administrative Departments as well as concerned quarters, the concerned Administrative Officers of the institutions namely Government Medical College, Kathua, Government Medical College Rajouri, Government Medical College, Doda, Government Medical College, Baramulla, Government Medical College, Anantnag, Indira Gandhi Government Dental College, Jammu, Government Dental College, Srinagar, Government Unani Medical College, Ganderbal, Government Ayurvedic Medical

College, Akhnoor, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, MCH & Immunization, J&K and Drug and Food Control Organization, J&K shall directly route files to the concerned HoD/Principal respectively, the proposal Reads.

Meanwhile, Medical Faculty Association of Government Medical and Dental College Srinagar said that the draft proposal regarding diversion of administrative powers of Principal Government Medical College Srinagar/Jammu to the Administrators of Associated Hospitals is clear infringement on the rights and jurisdiction of the executive heads of the medical institutions.

The association strongly feels that the draft-proposal amounts to degrading the chair of the Principals/Deans of the Government Medical Colleges of Srinagar and Jammu. It is a clear infringement on the rights and the jurisdiction of the executive heads of the medical institutions ensured by the National Medical Commission and the University Grants Commission, they said.

The proposal is against the best interests of patient care as the nuances of Healthcare and Medical Education can better be understood by an administrative head from a medical background, they added.

“The proposal is against the affairs of undergraduate/postgraduate/Postdoctoral students where Principal is signatory between National Medical Commission, the university of affiliation and the students. It is likely to adversely affect the recognition of the courses at all levels, the Association said.

The draft-proposal is demoralizing to the faculty members who are busy fighting unrelenting variants of Covid-19 like Omicron, delta, etc. in addition to their routine responsibilities of healthcare and medical education, it added.

The association said it would have no objection if the arrangement were part of national scheme applicable to all such institutions of the country. No such example is available from any medical institutions in any of the states or the Union Territories.

The Medical Faculty Association urges the government to not go ahead with the draft proposal so as to ensure the respect and the rights of the executive heads of medical institutions of repute like GMC Srinagar/Jammu and, hence, a cordial working atmosphere among various levels of administration is not disturbed. —(KNO)