Turning tables on the autocratic functioning of the heads of the departments once again, the Faculty Association of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, said selection of external experts for promotion and selection of doctors should not be the prerogative of only the head of the department.
The association also passed a resolution in this regard in its meeting held last week.
The association said that whenever the PGI administration asks for a panel of experts, "it should not be asked from the head of department alone but in addition, also from 2-3 senior most faculty members of the department."
The association also said the health ministry wants common work standards for AIIMS, New Delhi, PGI and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, and urged that PGI administration should take this issue on priority to reduce the personal biases and 'pick-and-choose' policy during APS interviews. "Many issues faced by the faculty during assured career-advancement interviews will be minimised if there are set objective criteria," the association said.
The association also said that whenever the expert panel is asked for, the guidelines for recommending the name of experts should also be strictly enforced. "This includes that external experts who have retired or above the age of 65 years should not be preferred. Also, the experts from surrounding states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh should not be preferred," the association said.
{{/usCountry}}The association also said that whenever the expert panel is asked for, the guidelines for recommending the name of experts should also be strictly enforced. "This includes that external experts who have retired or above the age of 65 years should not be preferred. Also, the experts from surrounding states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh should not be preferred," the association said.
{{/usCountry}}The association also demanded that whenever any faculty member is found 'unfit', the reasons for the same should be documented and communicated to the faculty member concerned. "This will not only make the faculty member aware of his shortcomings but will also give him a chance of improvement in future," it observed.
The association said that apart from research papers and projects of faculty members, medical education and patient care should also be an equally important parameter to promote the doctors.
Significantly, several faculty members who were not promoted to their next level in the past alleged that they failed interview due to bias on the part of the head of departments.