M A I N   N E W S

New Director also ineligible
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, August 18
The Haryana Government appears to have made a laughing stock of itself by replacing one ineligible Director of Pandit B.D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here with another.

Following objections by the Medical Council of India (MCI) to the holding of the charge of Director, PGIMS, by a non-medical person, the government last evening removed Mrs Anita Chaudhary, IAS, from the post and appointed Dr P.L. Jindal, Director-General, Health Services, Haryana, as officiating Director of this premier medical institute of Haryana.

The appointment of Mrs Anita Chaudhary, Commissioner, Rohtak Division, as Director, PGIMS became the main stumbling block for not permitting an increase of 35 seats in the MBBS by the MCI in order to adjust students from Agroha Medical College since closed.

Incidentally Dr P.L. Jindal, too, does not fulfil the essential qualification for appointment to the post of Director, PGIMS. As per the MCI regulations, the Director, PGIMS, should have a recognised postgraduate degree in any medical subject and 10 years’ teaching experience.

Ironically, Dr P.L. Jindal does not have any teaching experience. He has never worked in teaching cadre. Hence, his appointment is unlikely to meet the MCI objections raised against the appointment of Mrs Chaudhary.

The CPM, Haryana unit, has described the appointment of Dr Jindal as Director, as a short-sighted step and criticised the government for violating the rules and procedures laid down by the MCI.

The party has termed it as unfortunate that the government has reduced the status of this institute to the level of a government department.

The CPM has urged the government to stop playing with prime institutions by allowing these to function in an autonomous manner. A former minister, Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, has regretted that the government has acted in haste in appointing Dr Jindal as Director as he, like Mrs Anita Chaudhary, too, does not fulfil the basic qualification.

Incidentally, Dr P.L. Jindal is the fifth Director of the PGIMS, Rohtak, the only medical institute owned by the government, since the Chautala government came to power over two years ago. Subsequent to the removal of Dr D.S. Dubey, the government appointed Dr S.B. Siwach as Director on August 12, 1999.

He was removed on May 10 and the charge handed over to Mrs Anita Chaudhary. After modifying the selection procedure through a search committee, Dr S.B. Kaushik was selected Director on June 29 last.