Himachal medical college bodies oppose faculty cadre merger
The association said that this policy, if implemented, will not only create chaos within medical institutions but also undermine the core objective of medical colleges – patient care, which is of utmost importance to the very essence of these institutions
Himachal’s state association of medical and dental college teachers (SAMDCOT) has expressed its disapproval and concern regarding the recently proposed policy of cadre merger across all medical colleges.
The association said that this policy, if implemented, will not only create chaos within medical institutions but also undermine the core objective of medical colleges – patient care, which is of utmost importance to the very essence of these institutions.
Himachal government earlier this month, announced that it has decided in principle, to establish a common cadre for all future faculty appointments in all Government Medical Colleges and Super-Specialty Institutions across the state. It said that the move was to enhance equity, operational efficiency, and the overall quality of medical education and healthcare services.
“We strongly believe that this policy will have disastrous consequences for patient care, which is the primary mission of medical colleges. By merging cadres across medical colleges, we risk destabilising the teaching and operational environment, leading to inconsistencies in faculty seniority and overall effectiveness,” the SAMDCOT said in a statement, while calling on the authorities to reconsider this policy and engage in meaningful discussions with all stakeholders involved.
Dr Balbir Verma, the SAMDCOT president, said,“The primary objective of any medical institution is to ensure excellent patient care. The proposed policy of cadre merger will create disruptions in the faculty structure, leading to instability and lack of ownership in patient management. The ability to provide consistent, high-quality patient care will be directly impacted, which will be detrimental to both the medical profession and the patients who rely on these institutions.”
Verma also said that the policy will result in marked inconsistencies in faculty seniority due to different norms followed during recruitment across various medical colleges. Many faculty members at prestigious institutions, like IGMC, have waited for years and turned down opportunities at other medical colleges, believing in the value of their tenure at these institutions. The proposed merger would not recognise these efforts and may result in the demotion of experienced faculty members.
The association also said that many medical colleges in the state are already operating with minimal facilities in terms of equipment and postgraduate programmes.“The transfer of experienced faculty to such colleges will only jeopardise the quality of PG teaching, further deteriorating the standards of education and patient care. The resulting imbalance will create challenges that could be difficult to address in the long run,” the statement added.
TAMCOT also opposes the move
Meanwhile, a few days ago, Teachers Welfare Association of Medical College, Kangra at Tanda (TAMCOT) also announced its opposition to the proposed merger of faculty cadre across all state-run medical colleges. TAMCOT said that the proposed merger will create chaotic inconsistencies in faculty seniority across all six medical colleges because of the different norms being currently followed in various medical colleges with institution-based cadres. 2.
They also said that it clearly violates the party contract between faculty and the government, which clearly mentions a particular medical college for appointment as well as promotion basis.