Mumbai News: BMC's Appointment Of Professors In Medical Colleges Meets Legal Hurdle From State Government

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration's demand of blanket permission on all future appointments of professors in its four medical colleges has met a hurdle from the state government's legal department. The BMC's proposal to hire over 700 teaching staff in its medical colleges has been sanctioned by the state urban development department, however it is yet to publish advertisement owing to the legal hurdle.

The BMC-run medical colleges has around 829 posts of teaching staff (professors, assistant professors lecturers who also operate as doctors at the teaching hospitals), however only around 200 are full-time employees while around 350 are contractual. Rest of the posts are vacant, additing extreme workload on the existing staff.

"The process of appointment of teaching staff is lengthy. The BMC had asked for a blanket permission from the UD department for publishing advertisements and appointments of professors, which will be done following all criterias. Deputy CM, Eknath Shinde (who heads the UD ministry) has given his approval, however, the government resolution has not been published as the legal department is hesitant in giving blanket permission to the corporation," said a senior BMC officer privy to the hirings.

Dr Neelam Andrade, Director of major BMC hospitals said, "The medical college are reeling under serve teaching staff crunch. Our revised roaster of teaching staff appointment is already approved. We will now request the state government to allow us appointments under 2023 circular if not under the latest one. We are waiting for the assembly session to finish.

The BMC's four teaching hospitals are - Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College attached to KEM Hospital in Parel, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College attached to Sion Hospital, Topiwala National Medical College attached to Nair Hospital at Mumbai Central and Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Medical College attached to Cooper Hospital in Andheri. 

The FPJ had reported on April 9 that the BMC will be hirings over 700 teaching staff through Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) and is expect to publish the advertisements for hiring within a quater. The corporation then attributed the delay in hiring due to change in reservation policy. 

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The BMC also has to deal with the issue of the medicine professors crossing the eligibility age, who working on the contract basis. This can become a hurdle for their future permanent employment. 

The issue of staff crunch in the BMC-run hospitals was raised by MLA Aaditya Thackeray in assembly last week and in April he had met Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on appointments of professors.

The Municipal Mazdoor Union has warned of a one day strike on Tuesday, July 22 against the unfilled posts in BMC's health department. The union said there are 21 posts of senior sanitary inspectors, 67 posts of sanitary inspector and overseer, and 149 posts of junior overseer which are unfilled. "This health department staff works at ward levels and provide services door to door. Since 2022 there have been no hiring," said union's secretary Pradeep Narkar.