JNIMS residents protest, Director clarifies

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 22 : Condemning the action of JNIMS Director Dr Thongam Bhimo, members of Assistant Professors Senior Resident and Associate Professor (APSRA) Committee, JNIMS, staged a sit in protest at the hospital complex today.
Speaking to media persons, general secretary of the committee, Dr Bikram explained that there are doctors who have completed their PGs and are in service for the past 6 to 7 years, while some have been in the service for even nine years.
The committee is simply demanding the authorities to reward senior residents and qualified doctors by giving them their deserved posts/promotions instead of completely sidelining them, he explained.
Citing utter failure of JNIMS authority to fulfil the demands of the committee and threatening to intensify their stir, he appealed to the Government to look into the matter and to remove Dr Bhimo from his post as well.
On the other hand, JNIMS Director Dr Bhimo has clarified that the authorities are trying to ensure time scale promotion for the doctors at the earliest.
Speaking to media persons, he said that from 2009-2014, a total of 77 senior residents/tutors/demonstrators/lady medical officers/casualty medical officers, were appointed on regular basis in JNIMS.
Out of the 77 individuals, 33 possessed PG degrees while the rest had MBBS degrees.
However, the pressing issue is  the demand for granting time scale promotion to all 77 of them, the Director said, explaining that after the issue reached the Chief Minister, he had instructed JNIMS authority to do the needful at the earliest.
Stating that a committee chaired by the Academic Dean of the institute has already submitted the necessary rules to the Government Departments concerned, he assured that JNIMS authority is working hard to fulfil the demands of the agitating body.
He further appealed for the senior residents and doctors to be patient as JNIMS authority is only waiting for approval from the Department of Personnel and the Finance Department to do the needful.
He continued that in February last year, 18 Assistant Professors were promoted to Associate Professors and added that plans are being made to ensure time scale promotion based on seniority list in February every year.
Appealing the APSRA members to call off their protest, Dr Bhimo explained that the MBBS/BDS semester examination is currently underway and the protest has greatly inconvenienced the examination as well as the patients at JNIMS.