Promotion to GMC profs for ‘clerical work’ stirs row

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 12

Professors of Government Medical Colleges (GMC) in Amritsar and Patiala, working as nodal officers at Director Research and Medical Education (DRME) office, have got their promotions in effect for doing clerical work.

In a clear violation of the Punjab Medical Education Service (PMES) Group A 2016 Rules, whereby one has to have teaching experience, a nodal officer got two promotions while working at the DRME office. Firstly, he got promoted from lecturer to assistant professor in 2014, while in 2019 he was promoted to associate professor. In another case, a biochemistry professor working as a nodal officer was promoted as an associate professor while doing a clerical job at the DRME office.

According to the PMES Rules, for associate professor, one should have a minimum of seven years of teaching experience after the completion of postgraduation. Moreover, out of seven years, four years experience should be as assistant professor along with two research publications to their credit.

A majority of the professors doing clerical job at the DRME office have got their promotions without teaching experience which is a requisite for ascent.

Iqbal Singh, an assistant professor at GMC Patiala, said, “They are getting promotions without teaching students at all. Action should be taken against those responsible for writing false annual confidential report (ACR).”

Meanwhile, professors at GMC, Patiala and Amritsar, claimed that these professors, who had been working as nodal officers, do not fulfil teaching hours stipulated by the Medical Council of India. The professors opined that these wrongdoings would demoralise the teaching cadre and lead to resentment. Dr Akash Aggarwal, Joint Director, Research and Medical Education, said, “I have joined recently. So I am not aware of the issue. However, I will look into the matter.”

What rules say

According to the Punjab Medical Education Service (PMES) Group A 2016 Rules, for associate professor, one should have a minimum of seven years of teaching experience after the completion of postgraduation. Moreover, out of seven years, four years experience should be as assistant professor along with two research publications to their credit.