Legality of Appointment of 91 Doctors questioned: HC Seeks response from AIIMS Bhopal

Jabalpur: While considering a plea that questioned the legality of the appointment of 91 doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal, the principal bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought an answer from the director of the Institute.

Asking the AIIMS Bhopal Director to submit a personal affidavit on or before the next date of hearing, the HC bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal clarified, "failing which he shall remain personally present before this court."

The matter has been listed for further hearing on June 23, 2023. The plea before the High Court was filed for a writ of quo warranto.

As per the latest media report by Free Press Journal, the plea alleged that AIIMS Bhopal issued an advertisement on July 4, 2020 to appoint 33 professors, 19 additional professors, and 39 associate professors.

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After this, on November 17m 2020, the criterion for selection was published. According to the rules, evaluation was to be made for 50 marks out of which 35 were for PPT/interview, 5 for teaching/research experience beyond eligibility (0.5 marks per year) maximum five marks, five marks were for publication/citation/impact of publication (100 citation equal to one mark) maximum five marks, research grants (one crore=1 mark) maximum five marks.

Even though this criterion was followed in the selection process, a day before the result was declared, the criterion was changed. Issuing a notification on 04.03.2021, a new format was introduced and allocation of marks for teaching/research experience/publication/citation/impact of publication and research grants were deleted. 

Challenging this, the plea claimed that the criterion had been changed after the game began. Taking note of the submission, the HC bench has now asked the director of AIIMS Bhopal to submit a personal affidavit or appear in person at the court.

"Let personal affidavit of the Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal be filed on or before the next date failing which he shall remain personally present before this court," read the order.

While commenting on the matter, AIIMS Director Dr. Ajai Singh told FPJ, “It is case of 2020-21. Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the respondent. We have nothing to do in it. The ministry will reply. We will follow court’s directive.”

To view the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/mp-hc-order-209354.pdf

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