SHILLONG: The NEIGRIHMS authority has said the strike called by the DM Cardiology students is illegal and expressed concern over how two students, with connivance of some senior faculty members, are trying to “exploit the director”.
The authorities, in a statement issued on Monday, alleged that two Cardiology students were supposed to appear for examination in June/July but they neither filled up their examination forms nor appeared for theory examination scheduled on June 25.
“It is very unfortunate that the students took the system for granted by not presenting themselves for examination and are now threatening to go on strike, which seem to be a deep rooted conspiracy by some vested elements who act behind the curtains and make the students as scapegoats by encouraging them to make mistakes and confront the administration of NEIGRIHMS,” the statement said.
However, the students, in their petition to the secretary of the Health Ministry, said the resident doctors had made several efforts to meet NEIGRIHMS director Dr DM Thappa but found that either he was out of station or not available to meet the students. “He has been silent on the entire imbroglio in the examination process and neither willing to extend the residency period of the students,” they said in a separate release.
The students said last August, the institute had already resolved that in case of any eventuality to the students their residency period would be extended to meet their requirement for studies, accommodation and salary.
In the meantime it is learned that Dr Devinder Mohan Thappa is out of station for nearly 10 days for his visit to Pondicherry. The in charge Director Dr AC Phukan has called the meeting of all the Head of the departments of the institute to resolve the issues related with the students affairs.
“It is surprising that why should it take two months of time for the director NEIGRIHMS to take any decision in the matter when the rules of NEIGRIHMS has already provided provisions for extension of residency period,” they said.
Meanwhile, the authorities said the NEIGRIHMS administration “has always tried to extend all possible help to all students of NEIGRIHMS and all examination including MD in various specialities, MBBS, M.Sc Nursing etc. are conducted in time and the director tried his best to motivate the DM Cardiology students to appear in exams in June-July”.
“But it is very unfortunate that on one side the students didn’t appear for examination and on the other side began writing very nasty letters to the director using words like “your convenient amnesia”, calling ‘Director by name’, alleging Director of destroying academic courses and threatening to go on strike,” the press statement said.