Doctors question norms to fill 88 vacancies

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 11

The state Health Department’s move to fill 88 posts of house surgeon in various hospitals in the state has stirred a controversy. Aspirants have questioned the hiring norms, under which the period of service is six months and the department is offering Rs 30,000 as monthly remuneration.

Discriminatory

Preference is being given to students of one college over those of others affiliated with the same medical university. A Doctor

Other than low remuneration and brief period of the job, the department will give preference to MBBS qualified candidates from three government medical colleges in the state, followed by students of private medical colleges.

The aspirants rue that the recruitment rules are highly illogical and discriminatory as these tilted in favour of MBBS-qualified candidates from government colleges in the state.

In Punjab, there are hundreds of MBBS qualified candidates from seven medical colleges affiliated with Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS). Two medical colleges are affiliated with two private health universities.

“It is ridiculous the government is giving preference to students of one medical college over those of other colleges affiliated with the same medical university,” rued a doctor.

Dr Gurindervir Singh, former director of the department, who had invited applications for these posts two days before his removal from the post this week, said in the past hiring of house surgeon in government hospitals, first preference had always been given to candidates from government medical colleges.