Singhbhum Homoeopathy Medical College staff has launched a stir demanding removal of the college Principal, Kulwant Singh, at the college campus in Sakchi on Monday.A group of teaching and non-teaching staff also locked the principal’s chamber alleging the latter of forcibly continuing as the principal even after his retirement age. The teachers alleged that the principal Kulwant Singh has already retired on May 26 (since he completes 60 years) but still continues to be the head of the institution barring the development of the college.
“We are here to protest the intention of the principal. We had locked the principal’s chamber because he has already retired last month but still continues to be on the post. He should have handed over the charge to somebody but he is intentionally not willing to step down,” said a faculty member, N.D. Gupta.
Gupta along with other faculty members alleged that teachers of the Singhbhum Homoeopathy Medical College and Hospital have been facing a lot of problems during Singh’s tenure as a principal. So far he has not been disbursing teachers’ salaries and they have been working free of cost since February.
The principal, Kulwant Singh said that as per notification by the University Grants Commission and the Homoeopathic Medical Council the age limit of retirement had been extended to 65 years in 2012 and so he continues the right to be the head of the institution.
“It is a foul play against me. Some of the faculty members are against me. I have all the legal documents to prove that the retirement age is now 65 years. Since I have completed 60 on May 26, my staff is forcing me to leave. I have filed a complaint at the Sakchi police station regarding this,” said Kulwant Singh.
It may be mentioned that the Singhbhum Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital was established in 1953 and is registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. The college is managed by a governing body, constituted by the Dep. of Health Education, Govt. of Jharkhand to which the Deputy Commissioner, East Singhbhum is the Chairman. The local MP, local MlA, Tata Steel nominee, representative of Dept. of Health Education and some eminent citizens of Jamshedpur are members of the governing body. The college is teaching BHMS (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery) course. It is a five and half year course with one year of internship training (inclusive). The course is recognised by the Dept. of AYUSH, Ministry of Health, Govt. of India, Central Council of Homoeopathy, New Delhi (Govt. of India) and the Dept. of Health Education, Govt. of Jharkhand.