The state administration sitting over the proposal of extension of their contracts, the fate of faculty members of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) hangs in balance. The three-year contract of 12 faculty members which includes professors, associate professors and assistant professors of the medical college has expired.
Similarly, the contract of 13 more faculty members would also expire in the coming days. Though the faculty members whose contract has expired are continuing with their daily chores, they are apprehensive about their future.
“It appears that the State Government is not interested to continue our services. The Uttarakhand Medical Services Selection Board would soon conduct interviews for the faculty positions in the Government colleges of the State and in such a scenario the chances of extension of our contract are bleak. Most of us have started scouting for other opportunities,’’ said an assistant professor of a college.
These faculty members are upset as they want the Government to recognise the services rendered by them in establishing the colleges they are now serving.
“We were selected after a proper process in which every criterion like reservation was followed. For the past three years, we have worked hard to ensure that the medical colleges got the mandatory permission from the Medical Council of India (MCI),’’ said a dejected faculty member.
The principal of GDMC, Dr Ashutosh Sayana said that the process of renewal of contract of the faculty members has started and soon their contracts would be renewed.
Interviews for permanent appointment to be held
To make regular appointments in the government medical colleges of the State, the Uttarakhand Medical Service Selection Board (UKMSSB) would undertake interviews for selection of 138 posts in 24 disciplines from January 28. In Uttarakhand, there are three government medical colleges- Government Doon Medical College, Medical College Haldwani and Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Medical College Srinagar.
In the absence of permanent appointments for the past many years, most of the faculty members in these medical colleges have been working on contract. In such a situation, these medical colleges are plagued by absenteeism, frequent changes and other problems associated with contractual employees.
The appointment of new permanent faculty members in these colleges is expected to bring stability in the teaching positions to the benefit of all concerned.