NMC orders disciplinary, criminal action against former LNJP Neurosurgery HoD over illegal admissions
New Delhi: Days after the final inquiry committee concluded that unilateral actions by the then head of the department caused illegal admissions to its MCh neurosurgery programme and not systemic lapse despite the withdrawal of the regulatory approval, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has ordered criminal proceedings against the former head of neurosurgery at Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP).
The apex regulatory body stated that the former HOD is responsible for the alleged irregularities and grave misconduct since the illegal activities happened while he was in charge. In response, the NMC ordered disciplinary and criminal action against him. If the inquiry finds him guilty of the accusation, the former HOD would be either shifted to a non-sensitive post or suspended.
In a detailed order dated January 28, the NMC’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board said that its final inquiry report, which has been accepted in toto, found violations of statutory norms in the MCh Neurosurgery and DM Neuro-Anaesthesia programmes. Based on these findings, the Commission directed the Delhi Government to take immediate and time-bound action and directed it to start penalty proceedings against the former head of neurosurgery at Lok Nayak under whose watch the alleged irregularities and grave misconduct were reported, as per TOI.
Medical Dialogues had reported about this matter wherein a final inquiry committee constituted by NMC found that the Delhi Government-run Lok Nayak Hospital reportedly made illegal admissions to its MCh neurosurgery programme. Accordingly, the NMC panel recommended the migration of students and disciplinary action against officials.
In its report, the Commission's committee found that the students were admitted to the MCh Neurosurgery course even after the mandatory LoP was withdrawn by NMC. According to officials, the panel also examined the irregular admissions to the DM (neuro-anaesthesia) programme and called for systemic corrections.
However, the inquiry committee reportedly concluded that the crisis in the neurosurgery department was not caused by a systemic lapse, but it was due to unilateral actions by the then-head of the department.
Based on the report, an independent inquiry authority is expected to be initiated, and the report will be forwarded to the Delhi Government for action. TOI reported that a presenting officer, preferably from outside Delhi Government medical institutions, must be appointed to ensure fairness.
The Commission has also directed that the matter be referred for criminal investigation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for alleged offences, including cheating and inducement of students, forgery and misrepresentation, criminal conspiracy, and abuse of official position.
Commenting on the order, the accused HOD told TOI that NMC had acted arbitrarily, and without any evidence had recommended action against him. "The commission is unilateral. Its decisions violated principles of natural justice and disrupted medical education," he said
The NMC further flagged systemic failures, including non-compliance with undertakings related to faculty and infrastructure, weak administrative oversight, and a mismatch in academic and administrative control between the hospital and Maulana Azad Medical College. The Delhi Health Department has been asked to coordinate with central authorities to remove an irregular MCC institute code that was reportedly created in violation of regulations.
However, the president of the NMC Medical Assessment and Rating Board, Dr MK Ramesh, confirmed that the priority was to safeguard the students whose academic future was jeopardised without their fault. He said, "For the exam-going batch of MCh neurosurgery (2022-25), students will not be barred from appearing in the examination. Their degrees will be protected."
Addressing the issue of the MCh neurosurgery 2023-2026 batch, the committee recommended immediate academic migration to the Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research
The admissions for the 2024-2027 batch were declared null and void ab initio on humanitarian grounds, and students will be migrated to vacant seats at recognised institutions such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences. Similarly, for the students pursuing DM Neuro-Anaesthesia (2024-2027 batch), the Committee recommended immediate migration due to the absence of a valid department and approved faculty at the institute.
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