Health minister appoints Dr Radha Kanta Ratho as PGI dean academics

Dr Radha Kanta Ratho, virology department head and sub-dean (research), has been appointed as the dean academics of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh

Ignoring the seniority claims of paediatric department head Dr Surjit Singh, the Union health ministry appointed virology department head and sub-dean (research)

The position of dean of academics at PGIMER, Chandigarh, has been filled by acting officials ever since it became vacant in April 2023, following the retirement of Dr Rakesh Sehgal (HT Photo)

Dr Radha Kanta Ratho as the dean academics of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research.

Dr Ratho has already been serving as the interim dean academics following a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order of July 3, effective until the next hearing on July 22, 2024. But before the fresh hearing, the ministry announced Dr Ratho’s appointment.

Union ministry of health and family welfare, in its letter, stated that, “The Union minister of health, who is also president of the institute, hereby appoints Dr RK Ratho, as dean academics, PGIMER, Chandigarh, with immediate effect.”

The position of dean of academics has been filled by acting officials ever since it became vacant in April 2023, following the retirement of Dr Rakesh Sehgal.

Previously, Professor Naresh K Panda, who was the head of the ENT department, held the charge of dean (academics) until his retirement on June 29, 2024. Dr Panda was appointed to the post on April 24, 2023, notwithstanding the seniority claim of Dr Surjit Singh.

A high-powered committee headed by a retired PGIMER faculty member, Prof D Behera, issued an updated provisional seniority list on July 27, 2023. This list placed Dr Panda at the top and Dr Surjit at fourth place, differing from a similar list in 2022 that ranked Dr Surjit as the senior-most.

The dispute over seniority is pending with the Chandigarh bench of CAT. On March 8, the Union ministry of health had appointed Dr Surjit Singh as dean (academics), replacing Dr Panda.

Dr Panda had challenged this order, leading CAT to restrain PGIMER from accepting Dr Singh’s joining report on March 11.

The ministry deemed the initial appointment of Dr Panda as irregular and argued that Dr Panda had not followed proper channels for his grievance, directly approaching the CAT instead.

In May 2023, Dr Surjit accused PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal of attempting to keep him away from the dean (academics) post, an allegation that the latter has denied.

PGI director Dr Vivek Lal and Dr Surjit Singh were unavailable for comments on the latest appointment.