AIIMS-Patna fixes seniority, fills top positions after 2 years

These are the first few appointments among faculty members done as per the seniority list of professors, fixed by the institute, on the basis of their date of joining the institute and in line with the norms of the National Medical Commission.

Patna’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has finalised professors’ seniority and appointed deans and associate deans of examination, research and academics, from its faculty members, said doctors familiar with the development.

Deciding seniority of faculty members has been a bone of contention at AIIMS-Patna since its inception in 2012. (HT File)

The AIIMS took two years to fill these positions after the regulations were notified on October 18, 2019 and published in the gazette of India. Most other AIIMS in India have already filled these positions.

Dr Hemali Heidi Sinha, professor, department of obstetrics and gynaecology, has been appointed as the dean (examination), as per the institute’s order dated September 7. Dr Prem Kumar, professor, department of radiodiagnosis, has been appointed the dean (research).

Dr Sadhna Sharma, professor, department of biochemistry, has taken over as the associate dean (examination); Dr Bindey Kumar, professor, department of paediatric surgery, as associate dean (academics); and Dr Punam Prasad Bhadani, professor, department of pathology/laboratory medicine, as associate dean (research).

Prior to these appointments, Dr Umesh Bhadani, professor of anaesthesiology, was the only dean (academics), a position he occupies from October 19, 2020. The Institute Body of the AIIMS has already approved his appointment.

The institute also elevated Dr Sharma, Dr Bhadani, Dr Sinha, Dr Prem Kumar and Dr Bindey Kumar to the higher administrative grade pay scale ( ₹1,82,200 — ₹2,24,100) of the Central government’s seventh pay commission with effect from September 4.

These are the first few appointments among faculty members done as per the seniority list of professors, fixed by the institute, on the basis of their date of joining the institute and in line with the norms of the National Medical Commission.

A few hand-picked faculty members, however, continue as sub-dean of undergraduate and postgraduate student affairs; resident doctors; and faculty affairs. These positions, occupied by Dr Ayan Banerjee, Dr Amit Patil, Dr Alok Ranjan and Dr Veena Singh, have not been filled as per seniority, said doctors quoted above.

Deciding seniority of faculty members has been a bone of contention at AIIMS-Patna since its inception in 2012.

The first seniority list of professors was withdrawn within 20 days of its issue on September 6, 2013.

Dr AK Mahapatra, the then director of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar who was also the acting director here had approved the list when AIIMS-Patna director Dr GK Singh had gone on leave. On return, the latter withdrew the order, citing it was issued without the approval of the competent authority.

Officiating dean Dr Neeraj Agarwal had issued a provisional seniority list of professors on August 8, 2017. Subsequently, on July 20, 2018, dean-in-charge, Dr Prem Kumar, issued a seniority list of faculties based on their date of joining. The list was finally superseded by one issued by AIIMS-Patna director Dr Prabhat Kumar Singh on August 17.

Faculty seniority was thrown to the wind when Dr PP Gupta was appointed the institute’s first regular dean (academics) from November 24, 2016 to July 31, 2019, four years after the inception of the institute in 2012. Mark obtained in the faculty selection interview in 2012 was then made the deciding criteria in Dr Gupta’s appointment as dean, said AIIMS sources.

For the initial four years, Dr PN Singh, Dr Sadhna Sharma and Dr Ramji Singh had shouldered the dean’s responsibilities as faculty in-charge, on ad hoc internal arrangement, prior to the appointment of Dr Gupta as the dean.

Dr Neeraj Agarwal, who was senior to Dr Gupta, had to stake claim to the dean’s post after the latter’s superannuation before he donned the mantle between August 20, 2019 and October 19, 2020.

AIIM-Patna director Dr Singh defended the institute.

“Appointments of deans and associate deans were delayed because we could not hold the institute’s governing body meeting due to Covid-19. When it finally met in February, the governing body authorised the institute’s president to take a decision. Then there was a second wave of the pandemic. We got our institute president’s approval when he was here recently,” said Dr Singh.

As for the oft-changing seniority list, he said, “There are certain norms which have to be followed before issuing a seniority list. A provisional list is first published, and objections are invited within 15 days, after which the final list is prepared. The one I have issued now has been done following all norms, after due diligence.”

On not maintaining seniority in case of sub-deans, he said those were nominations to the post on ad hoc basis and not regular appointments.

“The doctors working as sub-deans have been nominated to help the establishment carry out work in a smooth and efficient manner. Some people, irrespective of their seniority, are given responsibility based on their dynamism and zeal to go the extra mile. Dr Amit Patil (head, department of forensic medicine and toxicology), for one, has done tremendous work in framing the rules and regulations that govern an academic course. Let the people who have joined their new posts settle down and we can take a call about the sub-deans later,” said Dr Singh.