By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The NEIGRIHMS MBBS students have resorted to an indefinite strike from Monday asking for an immediate increase in the strength of the teaching faculty in the Institute. The students are also demanding immediate announcement of the interview results held earlier this year for recruitment of faculty in the various positions in the Institute.Sources have revealed that the delay in the announcement of the results is due to the politics played by some of the faculty members.According to sources, there are faculty members who want the results scrapped since it is not in their favour.It is learnt that some of the present faculty members who did not clear the interview do not want the results to be announced, lest they be asked to leave, while those who are sure that they have done well want the results out.”But whatever the case, the results should have been announced since the interview was held some time back,” sources said.Replying to a query, sources also said the recruitment process for two departments (Radio Diagnosis and Medical Oncology) could not be held since the matter is still pending in court but they felt that NEIGRIHMS should have announced the results for the other departments.As of now, there are only 38 faculty members out of the total 140 positions at NEIGRIHMS, sources said, adding, situation in NEIGRHIMS is appalling compared to other such medical institutes in the country.”There is huge shortage of faculty in the Institute. We have doctors who have to attend to patients and also take classes at the same time. It has become humanly impossible for these doctors to carry out their duties with sincerity,” sources said.Meanwhile, the students are also demanding that NEIGRIHMS should fulfill all the criteria so that the Medical Council of India (MCI) gives due recognition to the MBBS course provided by it.At present, the MBBS courses at NEIGRHIMS is run according to the procedures under section 10-A of the MCI.As per this section, the Central Government’s permission to such colleges is granted initially for one year, i.e., for admitting only one batch of students in a calendar year. The permissions are to be renewed on yearly basis after verification of achievements of annual targets.This process is continued till the required infrastructure is created and recognition is granted. The admissions made without the required approval/renewals are irregular and the degrees unrecognizable.Meanwhile, NEIGRIHMS spokesperson Dr Bhaskar Borgohain has admitted that the Institute is having a huge shortage of faculty members but said the process of faculty recruitment cannot be initiated since the matter is pending in court.r Borgohain, however, informed that the MCI members would be coming for inspection to assess the infrastructure and facilities in NEIGRHIMS for running of the MBBS courses later this year.Besides the necessary infrastructure, he said, the Institute should also have the requisite number of faculty to get the recognition from the MCI for its MBBS courses.”With the support of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare we are hoping to be able to recruit the requisite number of faculties and set up the necessary infrastructure before the inspection of the MCI officials,” he added.For now, with the indefinite strike of the students, all academic programmes have been suspended.Earlier in the morning, students in large numbers went to gherao the Administrative Block demanding an assurance from the Institute director Dr ME Yeolekar.Till late evening, the students could only meet the deputy director Dinesh Sawkmie for placing their demands.
Director is incompetent?
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ongoing crisis in NEIGRHIMS is due to the incompetence of its Director, Dr ME Yeolekar, inside sources alleged.
They said the Director has failed to perform his duties as the head of the Institute.
“He (Dr Yeolekar) is afraid to take any major decision. In times of crisis, the director would always ask others to handle the matters,” the sources told The Shillong Times on Monday.
The sources said as the head the Institute Dr Yeolekar should have led it from the front.
“On account of his refusal to shoulder responsibility, many important files are piling up in his chamber,” the sources added.
On Monday, a group of journalists were also witness to the reluctance of Dr Yeolekar to tackle the problem of agitating students.
The NEIGRIHMS Director refused to meet the MBBS students who had gone on indefinite strike from Monday.
The students wanted to meet the Director to apprise him of their demands including increasing the faculty strength in the Institute.
Instead of meeting the students, Dr Yeolekar assigned his deputy director Dinesh Sawkmie to talk to them.
The Director also refused to meet the journalists who wanted to get his side of the story about the demands of the students. And, this was not the first time that he has refused to meet the media persons.
Dr Yeolekar, instead, told his spokesperson Dr Bhaskar Bargohain to meet the press.