Medical colleges face faculty shortage

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 11

Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in Patiala as well as Amritsar are reeling under shortage of faculty members. The severe shortfall at both colleges, experts believe, continues to bog down the quality of the medical education in the state.

In these two medical institutes, more than 57 per cent of the posts of medical teachers are lying vacant. Out of 628 posts in the two institutes, 358 are vacant.

Out of professors, associate professors and assistant professors, the latter face the worst shortfall as 70 per cent of the posts are lying vacant. Out of 290 sanctioned posts of assistant professors, 201 are vacant. Against the 184 posts of associate professors, 108 are unoccupied. While 49 posts of professors, out of 154, are vacant.

As per the record, there has been no recruitment of assistant professors, which is an entry level post for the teaching faculty in medical education, since 15 May 2015.

One of the professors at Government Medical College, Patiala, pleading anonymity, said, “Due to the shortage of teachers, postgraduate students are taking classes of MBBS students. This arrangement, evidently, is a comprise with the quality of medical education.”

Notably, 75 per cent of the posts of professors and associate professors are filled within the teaching cadre through promotions for which no advertisement or invitation of applications is needed. Even through this method, posts are not filled in time.

Dr DS Bhullar, general secretary, Punjab State Medical & Dental Teachers Association, said, “After the new promotions, the gap has increased manifold. The government should recruit new assistant professors immediately.”

While the Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, said, “In the next one month, new assistant professor posts will be advertised. Moreover, we have sent the file for the remaining promotions.”

Fact file

As per the record, there has been no recruitment of assistant professors, which is an entry-level post for teaching faculty in medical education, since 15 May 2015.