Govt acts hard against selected Medical Officers
Asks them to join duties or clear way for others
Srinagar: The government on Tuesday acted tough against the doctors who were recently appointed as Medical Officers, but were demanding that they should be allowed to complete their Post-Graduation, Senior residency.
The government has categorically asked them either to join the duties or continue with their higher-studies, eliminating the question of holding onto both.
Notably, after the selection list of recently appointed medical officers was out, a PIL was filed by DrSuheelurRehman and others praying that the condition in the government order wherein it was stated that the appointees shall not be allowed to continue with PG/ tenure of senior residency/ registrarship, be quashed.
“That the condition No. ‘B’ appearing in government order no49-HME of 2019 dated 14-01-2019 and such other condition which prevents the petitioner from completing their ‘Post Graduate Courses/ tenure appointments as registrars, senior residents, demonstrators be quashed,” the PIL reads.
“That by writ of mandamus respondents be directed to allow the petitioners to complete their post graduate courses, tenure appointments in accordance with the rules and after completion allow them to join as Medical Officers.”
Two other such PILs, one by Dr Sana and other, DrAezaz Ahmad Bhat and others were filed in the court demanding the same as was prayed by the first one. The court in all the PILs asked the government to decide on the issue quickly with a request to consider allowing the petitioners to complete their PG. However, the government this time seems to be determinant on the policy decision the State Administrative Council (SAC) took.
In this regard, an order has been issued by the HME which stated that the SAC has already taken a policy decision in this regard, where in it was decided that selected medical officers shall not be allowed to continue with PG/ tenure of senior residency etc and they will have only one choice to make.
“The SAC took a policy decision on 14-11-2018 which provides that in future selection/ appointments of Medical officers, selectee medical officers shall not be allowed to continue with PG/ tenure of senior residency, Registrarship/ demonstratorship and they will have only one choice either to opt for appointment or opt out and go for PG with PG/ tenure of senior residency, Registrarship/ demonstratorship,” the order reads.
The order said that government had published the conditions before the appointment of these medical officers were made and which includes the condition ‘B’ which states: “The appointee(s) shall not be allowed to continue with PG/ tenure of senior residency, Registrarship/ demonstratorship and they will have only one choice either to opt for appointment or opt out and go for PG with PG/ tenure of senior residency, Registrarship/ demonstratorship in which case candidates from the waiting list will be considered for the appointment.”
The government finally, by virtue of the order issued, has ordered that petitioners/ appointees shall not be allowed to continue with PG/ tenure of senior residency, Registrarship/ demonstratorship and that they will have only one choice to make.
“All the petitioners in this regard are directed to report to their place of postings within a period of 10 days from the date of issuance of this order failing which their appointments shall be deemed to have been cancelled ab-initio and candidates from the waiting list will be considered for appointment without any further notice,” the order vide number 174-HME of 2019 reads.
Pertinently, the manpower audit carried by the government had also pointed towards such posts that remain occupied, but are practically unoccupied.
“These posts, though substantively occupied, physically/ practically remain vacant which in turn leads to great resentment in the public and consequent crises of non-availability of doctors in the concerned health institution in the rural/ peripheral areas,” the audit report had observed.
Irfan Tramboo
