GMC profs get Rs1.5-lakh pay for ‘clerical work’
Karam Prakash
Tribune News Service
Patiala, October 2
Ten professors of Government Medical Colleges (GMC) in Amritsar and Patiala have been withdrawing a salary of more than Rs 1.5 lakh each for clerical jobs for the last few years. In fact, the doctors are working at the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DRME) in Mohali instead of treating poor patients at their original places of posting.
It has been learnt that even professors have been appointed as ‘nodal officers’ at the directorate to do clerical work while they are supposed to treat patients at the hospitals.
Their postings as nodal officers have allegedly been done because either they have their residences in the tricity (Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali) or in some cases, their spouses are working there.
In fact, one such associate professor of the GMC, Patiala, has been working as a nodal officer for court cases for over six years at the directorate office. Moreover, two assistant professors of the GMC, Patiala, have recently been asked to work in Mohali.
However, in records, all the professors are withdrawing salaries from their original places of posting. Notably, instead of deputation, they are posted on temporary orders. Interestingly, the Director, Research and Medical Education and Joint Director, Research and Medical Education, have also been appointed only on the temporary basis.
Surprisingly, experts said the doctors were hired by the government to carry out clinical jobs, including emergency duty, indoor and outdoor patient care and teaching MBBS students at the GMC, and not for clerical jobs.
A senior professor of GMC, requesting anonymity, said, “Instead of serving poor patients, they are performing clerical work just to be with their families. The government can hire 10 clerks on the salary of one professor to perform the same work.”
In a similar case of adjustment, an assistant professor of the skin department, posted at the GMC, Amritsar, is teaching at the GMC, Patiala, for four days and for just two days at the GMC, Amritsar, because her family is staying in Patiala.
Joint Director, Research and Medical Education, Dr Akashdeep Aggarwal said, “These postings are not on deputation but on a temporary basis. We are tryingto restructure the working at the directorate office. We are planning to hire people for clerical work.”
