Tanda medical college association opposes faculty cadre merger

Teachers Welfare Association of Medical College Tanda (TAMCOT) has threatened to move on mass causal leave against the government decision to merge cadre of various medical college in the state. President of TAMCOT, Dr Munish Kumar Saroch, while talking to The Tribune, said that the decision was taken at a meeting of the association held yesterday evening.

“We have sought time from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to request him to withdraw the decision of merging cadres of medical colleges in the state. However, in case the government does not withdraw its decision, the medical teachers of Tanda medical college would proceed on mass casual leave,” he said.

Dr Munish Saroch said that TAMCOT house unanimously opposed the proposed merger of faculty cadre across all six state-run medical colleges and have decided to urge government to promptly halt this idea in conception stage only. He said that the proposed merger will create chaotic inconsistencies in faculty seniority across all six medical colleges because of the different norms being currently followed in various medical colleges with institution based cadre.

The proposed merger clearly violates two-party contract between faculty and the government, which clearly mentions particular medical college for appointment as well as promotion basis. Hundreds of ICMR and the Centre-funded research projects shall come to immediate halt or suffer severely due to instability amongst the principal investigators.

Hundreds of PG and UG students rely on the allotted faculty guides and co guides for research work, especially Thesis projects, which will suffer drastically. Instability at workplace induces demotivation and lack of ownership for the department or institution which significantly halts the growth rate of institutions particularly new departments, he said.

TAMCOT, in a letter to secretary health, said that he ultimate sufferer of this decision of government is the patient care, which is the primary objective of all the medical colleges

Dr Saroch said that TAMCOT house decided to approach the state government for resolution of this issue on priority. The house stands united to fight this proposed merger. Multiple consultants proposed to quit the government job in favour of private practice if such instability was induced in medical college cadre while others suggested a statewide shutdown of all medical services. The house remains hopeful of peaceful solution to this tragic move, in the hands of state government, he said.