Gian Sagar dental college found locked during inspection, DCI team finds serious discrepancies
Patiala: Dashing hopes of the revival of Gian Sagar Dental College & Hospital, Patiala, the joint inspection team of DCI has pointed at certain serious shortcomings in the college infrastructure and staffing norms found during a recent inspection carried out for the Establishment of the Dental College with 100 seats in BDS Course. The college was reportedly found locked with no signs of clinical activity in the college premises.
The Joint Inspection Report of the Council's Inspectors Dr. Bhagwan Das Rai, Udaipur and Dr. R.K. Sharma, Rohtak was discussed in the Executive Committee of the Dental Council of India held on 12th April 2021.
The DCI team had carried out an inspection of the college premises on 22nd & 23rd March, 2021 to ascertain the physical facilities such as building, space, teaching staff their qualifications & experience, equipments and other infrastructural facilities available as per DCI Regulations.
Notably, The erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), now NMC and Dental Council of India had withdrawn the recognition to the dental and medical colleges of the Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust in 2017 following allegations of financial mismanagement. At the time, the government had shifted around 1,500 medical and dental students to other medical institutions operating across the state.
Gian Sagar institutes are likely to resume functioning this year after the new management of the college pays Rs 1.5-crore endowment fund to the state government.
According to the meeting minutes of the executive committee meeting updated on the DCI website, it was observed that the building is closed for a long time. Everywhere there was dust, not a single dental chair or any other equipment / Instrument was found to be used for a long time.
During the two days long inspection, there was neither Principal nor Dental teaching faculty, nor any Para Medical or Non-Teaching supporting staff in the dental college on 1st day of inspection.
Moreover, no record of any appointment of Principal, Dental Faculty, or any staff was provided on 1st day. There was no records of any patient attended in the dental college OPD, nor did the authorities made any claim in this regard.
Pointing at no signs of clinical activity in the college, the inspection team observed that there was not even a single packet of any dental material or local anesthesia or face mask or gloves.
The team also found the infrastructure of the college in bad shape with Uncovered electric wires hanging and false ceiling slabs were about to fall in the lecturer theaters.
On the 2nd day of inspection , the dental college building was open however, only safai karmchari were present .The team was informed that dental college faculty will be joining the college today. By afternoon, faculty members arrived with appointment letter and joining report issued in the last one week. Appointment letter appeared be issued in haste without any detail regarding monthly pay and emoluments.
The DCI meeting minutes claim that even college stamp was not available with the newly appointed principal of the college. There was no detail of any staff appointment process details by proper scheme committee.
The team noted that there were no patient in dental college hospital even on 2nd day. The faculty was possessing joining report 3-9 days before the inspection days, there was no record with their attendance of even a single day before 12:40 pm of 2nd day of Inspection. Also, the total number of staff shown on 2nd day of Inspection at 1 pm was more than the proforma provided by the authorities on the 2nd day of Inspection at morning 10:30 am.
However, it has been highlighted that the above observations are subject to the confirmation of the said Minutes in the next Executive Committee meeting.
