State govt removes director of medical education

The Punjab government has removed the director of medical education and research (DMER), Dr Tejbir Singh, and repatriated him to Government Medical College, Amritsar, where he will join as head of the department of community medicine.

According to sources, Dr Singh was relieved from the post on October 17 following an order issued by Hussan Lal, secretary of medical education and research.

Sources revealed that things were not smooth between the government and Dr Singh for the past some time. Before being relieved from the post, Dr Singh was on leave for the past one month. As soon as he rejoined, orders of his removal were issued and the charge given to joint director Dr Gurdeep Singh Kalyan.

Dr Singh had joined as DMER on March 27, 2013, and his tenure was marked by indiscriminate fee hikes in MBBS and BDS courses in government and private medical colleges. However, he was also known to take a tough stand against corrupt practices.

The post of DMER is reserved for the senior-most professors of the state's medical colleges. According to rules, after a DMER turns 58, he is sent back to the medical college and the retirement age for faculty in medical colleges of the state is 62.

But Dr Singh was given an extension as he had already crossed 58. The extension too had made headlines.