Appointment of PGI Dean: CAT deferred hearing on plea filed by Dr Surjit Singh

Chandigarh: After the appointment of Prof Dr Surjit Singh as dean of academics of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) Chandigarh was put on hold, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) recently deferred hearing on his plea seeking a lift of the stay order for his appointment.

The order was passed on Tuesday while hearing his plea requesting the tribunal to lift the stay order on March 11, which prevented PGIMER from accepting his joining report as dean (academic).

Medical Dialogues team had recently reported that the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Monday ordered the Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh not to accept his joining report till the next date of hearing.

Also read- PGI's Dean Appointment: CAT Stays Health Ministry Order Of Joining Of Dr Surjit Singh

In this regard, the bench comprising Ramesh Singh Thakur and Rashmi Saxena Sahni passed the direction against the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare order on March 8 which granted the appointment of Dr Surjit Singh, professor and head of the paediatric medicine department as the new dean in place of Dr Naresh Panda, professor and head of ENT department, who was holding the officiating charge of dean (academic). Furthermore, the order stated that Dr Panda would assume the position of Dean of Research.

Opposing the move, Dr Panda submitted a petition to the CAT challenging the government directive and the PGI administration's decision regarding Prof Surjit's seniority for the dean of academics position. He argued that he had the highest seniority among the professors, with Dr Singh ranked lower on the seniority list.

According to the recruitment rules of the PGI for the post of dean, "One must be a professor in the department of the institute having at least three years experience..would be appointed as the dean by the institute on the recommendations of the director of the institute, taking into consideration the seniority, suitability and other relevant factors for a tenure of three years.”

Following this, Dr Surjit approached CAT and filed a plea seeking a lift on the hold order of his appointment. However, the bench told him the case would be heard on April 8 as decided before as reported by HT.

Denying immediate relief to him, the CAT stated that the temporary order would remain in effect until April 8, and any changes to the order would be reviewed on that date. The order also mentioned that the respondents must submit a reply by the next hearing date.

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