Aspirants allege NMC norm violations in SKIMS Soura faculty recruitment
Soura: Aspirants seeking teaching appointments at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction, alleging that the latest recruitment process failed to follow the updated eligibility standards by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
A delegation of candidates claimed that both the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and SKIMS had overlooked the revised requirements issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) while advertising faculty vacancies.
The grievance concerns JKPSC Notification No. 15-PSC (DR-P) of 2025, released on December 8, 2025, under which SKIMS invited online applications for several academic posts, including Assistant Professor roles across various disciplines. According to the aspirants, the advertisement does not reflect the amended provisions of the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, notified by the NMC. The provision was initiated aiming to ensure a steady flow of workforce. “Experienced clinicians from government hospitals can transition into teaching roles, and this has been happening in many institutions,” the aspirants said.
“The new and revised norms come into effect from June 30, 2025, but even when the positions were advertised in December, SKIMS Soura did not deem it important to conform to the rules,” an aspirant told Greater Kashmir, wishing anonymity. They pointed out that, as per the revised norms, eligibility for the Assistant Professor post requires a recognised postgraduate qualification such as MD, MS, or DNB in the concerned subject, along with a minimum of two years of combined experience in a government hospital having at least 220 beds after completion of postgraduation. The regulations also mandate completion of the Basic Course in Biomedical Research within two years of joining, which the candidates allege has not been adequately addressed in the notification.
According to The Daily, as far as non-teaching consultants or specialists' posts are concerned, they can apply even without mandatory senior residency. In case of Diploma holders, those holding 6 years of post-diploma experience in recognized teaching institutions are also eligible to apply. An aspirant with a postgraduate degree and 10 years of cumulative experience in a minimum 220-beded government hospital can apply for the post of Associate Professor, and for a Professor, one should possess 3 years of postgraduate teaching experience as a Senior Consultant in a recognized institution.
The aspirants argued that the JKPSC notification and SKIMS requisition follow outdated or pre-2025 criteria and sought for a withdrawal of the notification at the earliest. They said the notification is not justified for the more qualified candidates who meet the new national standards. “The faculty recruitment in medical institutions must follow uniform national norms prescribed by the NMC,” the aspirants said. “Ignoring the regulations, they said, the institution and recruiting agency will risk rendering the selections ultra-vires and void from the beginning,” they said.
