Legal hurdle delays BMC's Recruitment of 700 faculty posts in Medical Colleges
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) proposal seeking general approval for all future appointments for professors in its four medical colleges has encountered hurdles from the state government's legal department.
Although the urban development department has approved the civic body’s plan to recruit over 700 teaching staff, the advertisement for the recruitment drive is still pending due to unresolved legal concerns.
Currently, the BMC-run medical colleges have a sanctioned strength of around 829 teaching staff, including professors, assistant professors, and lecturers, many of whom also serve as doctors at affiliated teaching hospitals. Out of these, only about 200 are permanent employees, while around 350 are serving on contractual terms. The remaining posts remain unfilled, leading to increased pressure and workload on the current faculty, reports the Daily.
The four medical colleges under BMC include Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College (KEM Hospital, Parel), Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College (Sion Hospital), Topiwala National Medical College (Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central), and Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Medical College (Cooper Hospital, Andheri).
Speaking to Free Press Journal, a senior BMC officer said, "The process of appointment of teaching staff is lengthy. The BMC had asked for a blanket permission from the UD department for publishing advertisements and appointments of professors, which will be done following all criteria. Deputy CM, Eknath Shinde (who heads the UD ministry) has given his approval; however, the government resolution has not been published as the legal department is hesitant in giving blanket permission to the corporation".
Dr Neelam Andrade, Director of major BMC hospitals, said, "The medical colleges are reeling under severe teaching staff crunch. Our revised roster of teaching staff appointments is already approved. We will now request the state government to allow us appointments under the 2023 circular, if not under the latest one. We are waiting for the assembly session to finish.
Another pressing issue affecting permanent hiring is the age eligibility of several professors currently working on contract, which may disqualify them from future regular positions. The shortage of medical teaching staff in BMC institutions was recently raised in the state assembly by MLA Aaditya Thackeray. In April, he had also held discussions with Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani regarding the stalled appointments.
Meanwhile, discontent is brewing among civic staff. The Municipal Mazdoor Union has announced a one-day strike on July 22 to protest against the vacant posts in the health department. According to the union, there are 21 senior sanitary inspector posts, 67 sanitary inspector and overseer positions, and 149 junior overseer posts that remain unfilled.
