Ghost faculty: Licences of 2 more doctors suspended

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 25

On the directions of the Medical Council of India (MCI), the Punjab Medical Council (PMC) has suspended the licences of two more doctors for acting as ‘ghost faculty’ in various medical colleges.

PMC president Dr GS Grewal said the council had suspended the licence of Dr Ravdeep Singh, whose name had appeared in two medical colleges — Government Medical College, Patiala, and Haryana Institute of Medical Science, Kaithal, Haryana — as assistant professor/senior resident.

The other doctor whose licence has been suspended is Dr Ardaman Singh, Professor of Medicine at Government Medical College, Patiala, working as ghost faculty in the Haryana Institute of Medical Science.

The licence of both doctors has been suspended for a year.

Earlier too, on the directions of the MCI, the PMC had suspended the licence of two doctors for the same reason.

Last week, the registration of Dr Vijay Kumar Sharda of Government Medical College, Patiala, who was acting as ghost faculty for NC Medical College, Panipat, Haryana, and Dr Ved Prakash Gupta, found to be acting as ghost faculty in Sri Guru Gobind Singh Tri-centenary Medical College, Gurgaon, Haryana, was also suspended.

The PMC had found that 166 doctors were shown to be working as full-time members of the faculty and drawing full salaries but were doing private practice elsewhere and visited the college occasionally, contrary to the rules of the Medical Council of India. However, action against the doctors could not be taken due to a tussle between the Minister for Medical Education and Research, Anil Joshi, and the president of the PMC Dr GS Grewal.