NEW DELHI: An expert panel of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has shortlisted three names for the post of the director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS-New Delhi). However, the three names are raising contentions as they are not as per the seniority list.
Three doctors who have been shortlisted to take over the post from Dr Randeep Guleria as the director of AIIMS are Dr Rajesh Malhotra, AIIMS trauma centre head and orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Nikhil Tandon, head of the department of endocrinology and the executive director of (Translational Health Science and Technology Institute) and Dr Pramod Garg, professor of gastroenterology.
The 22 doctors as per the seniority list are not mentioned in the contenders list. Dr Malhotra is 23rd in the list, Dr Tondon 29th and Dr Garg is 83rd. Dr Subrata Sinha is the senior most doctor of the institute and is currently the professor and Biochemistry department head. He has an extensive work experience in research and administrative work.
Two other senior-most doctors, Dr KK Verma and Dr Sunil Chumber did not find name in the list. They were appointed as assistant professors in 1993. While Dr Garg was appointed as assistant professor in 2003. Questions are also being raised on the formation of a selection committee by the Department of Personnel and Training which is however done by the institute body of AIIMS.
"The director is appointed by the search cum selection committee which is formed by the Institute Body and after the approval of the Central Government the Director is appointed. The members are scientists, government officials and a DU professor and nobody from a medical background," said a senior doctor. He added that the current search committee has no doctor which is against the rules.
The members in the committee are - Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary of Department of Biotechnology Rajesh S. Gokhale, Principal Scientific Advisor to the government K.Vijay Raghavan, and Delhi University vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh.
Doctors unhappy with decision
Questions are also being raised on the formation of a selection committee by the Department of Personnel and Training which is usually done by the institute body of AIIMS. There are talks also about the current search committee having no doctor which is against the rules. The members are scientists, government officials and a DU professor and nobody from a medical background