Delhi government-run RGSSH seeks MHA degree for recruitment, sparks row
NEW DELHI: A decision by Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital to add an eligibility criteria, Masters in Health Administration (MHA), a non-medical degree, for the recruitment of Medical Officers has courted controversy.
The move has seen opposition from staff and the medical fraternity alike, who raised eyebrows over the new rule, alleging this recruitment rule is not followed by other hospitals in the national capital.
According to hospital staff, the new rule has been implemented to benefit certain individuals contravening the government mandate.
They also asserted that permission to change the recruitment rule for the post was not sought from National Medical Commission or the state medical council.
Hospital staff also questioned the administration’s move to overlook higher medical degrees like MD and MCh, which certify advanced medical expertise, for the job while making a non-medical degree mandatory. A resident doctors’ body said, “This policy not only disregards the advanced medical expertise of these candidates but also jeopardizes patient care.”
Responding to the allegations, Dr Ashish Goyal, the acting Medical Director of the hospital said the decision was approved by the governing council of the hospital with no intent to benefit any individual. “All the claims are rubbish and made by a group with vested interests. We are an autonomous institution and can make our own recruitment rules. The eligibility criteria was added as per the decision by the governing council approved by previous directors. I’m only implementing it,” he said.
When asked why specialised medical degree holders are ineligible for the job, Goyal said the post caters to administrative affairs hence, making MHA mandatory was a logical move. “I’m not diluting the eligibility criteria but making it more technical so that specialists can be hired to manage hospital administration. Besides, everything was done in accordance with the rules,” he added.
However, senior officials opposing the move at the hospital said the RGSSH is a government-funded hospital, and any changes to recruitment rules might need approval from the Delhi Government’s Health and Family Welfare Department. “MHA is a non-medical qualification, and its addition to eligibility criteria might require NMC approval. While the governing council has some autonomy, it is unlikely that they can unilaterally add a degree to the eligibility criteria without seeking approval,” an official said.