MUMBAI: Raising concerns over the large number of vacancies of professors and associate professors in medical colleges, the Bombay High Court has asked Maharashtra government to take up the issue on priority basis and fill up the posts immediately.
A division bench of justices N H Patil and V L Achliya was hearing a suo moto public interest litigation on the issue.
The bench was last week informed that 89 posts of professors and 287 posts of associate professors in various medical colleges functioning in the state are lying vacant.
Government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani informed the court that advertisements for 117 posts have been given.
He submitted that the government has taken a decision that the posting of medical teachers is exempted from divisional cadre regulation.
"The constituted selection committee will conduct interviews and the vacancies will be filled within three months," Vagyani said.
The court observed that the state government has to maintain necessary infrastructural facility and standards of education in medical colleges.
"We expect the state to take up the issue concerning the infrastructural facilities of all medical colleges and hospitals run by the government on priority basis and focus on infrastructure, grant, purchase of modern equipment and service conditions of medical teachers," the court said.
The government should also take necessary precaution that administrative posts like Dean of medical colleges do not lie vacant, it further said.
The court was also informed that the age of retirement of medical teachers has been increased from 63 to 64 years.
The HC directed the government to file an affidavit on June 22 after due deliberations on these issues.