Health Dept Audit Report reveals irregular appointments, promotions of doctors in Government Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College

Chennai: An internal audit report of Department of Health and Family Welfare has revealed that there were irregular appointments and promotions of doctors in Government Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College (GYNMC).

The report prepared on the basis of an internal audit of the Health Department conducted at GYNMC back in July 2021 claimed that there were increments were awarded to faculties without required eligibility and other allowances had also been sanctioned to 10 yoga and naturopathy doctors working in the college, including the principal of the college. This allegedly resulted in excess pay and allowances to the doctors.

While the report claimed discrepancies at the college, the Principal of the institute has rejected all such findings and claimed that all the appointments had been made as per the rules and regulations of Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University.

Currently, the college has one principal, 14 professors, 11 readers, 22 lecturers and 27 assistant medical officers/ lecturers grade-II as faculties for different courses offered by the college.

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As per the latest media report by The Hindu, an internal audit had been conducted at the institute back in September 2021 to examine the discrepancies and the service records of the doctors. Consequently, the report found that the Department had not framed the recruitment rules even after 22 years of the constitution of the medical college. 

During the audit, it was also found that there were irregularities in the process of appointment of doctors, who had allegedly been appointed even in the absence of required qualifications. Further, adhoc promotions had already been given even before completion of probationary period. This resultes in an excess payment of Rs 2.30 crore, the audit report revealed.

However, the principal of the college Manavalan has refuted all such allegations. Responding to the allegations, the principal has said that University Grants Commission does not control the yoga and naturopathy medical colleges. He further claimed that the college had followed all the norms and guidelines issued by the Union government as well as by the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. 

In fact, regarding the appointments and promotions of doctors as well, no rules were violated and all the appointments and promotion of doctors were valid and not irregular, claimed the Principal. Therefore, he stated that there was no question of recovery of excess payment of pay and allowances.

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