Implementation of 3-Tier Faculty Structure
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, June 24: In a significant move to enhance the quality of medical education and streamline the faculty structure, Government of Jammu and Kashmir today accorded sanction to the upgradation of all the posts of Lecturers to the level of Assistant Professors in Government Medical Colleges of Jammu and Srinagar, thereby taking a step forward towards implementation of 3-Tier Faculty Structure in these premiere institutions.
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“Sanction is hereby accorded to the upgradation of 287 posts of Lecturers (134 posts in GMC Jammu and 153 posts in GMC Srinagar) to the level of Assistant Professors ((Level-11) and reduction of 136 posts of Lecturers (46 in GMC Jammu and 90 in GMC Srinagar). Consequently, the incumbent Lecturers of various disciplines in GMC/Super Speciality Hospital Jammu and GMC/ Super Speciality Hospital Srinagar are hereby re-designated as Assistant Professor,” said an order issued today by Health and Medical Education Department.
Upon abolishment of the posts of Lecturers and upgradation of these posts to Assistant Professors, there will be now 198 Assistant Professors in GMC Jammu, 43 in Super Speciality Hospital (SSH) Jammu, 249 in Government Medical College Srinagar and 51 in Super Speciality Hospital Srinagar.
This a major reform and was pending for last 5 decades as throughout India, there is 3-tier faculty structure in Government Medical Colleges and the entry level post in these institutions is Assistant Professor. Even in new Medical Colleges of J&K, there is 3-tier system for faculty but GMCs of Jammu and Srinagar were still running with 4-tier faculty system and the entry level post in these two premiere institutions was Lecturer.
Since Lecturer entity is not recognized or considered as valid faculty post anywhere in India after necessary amendment in Recruitment rules in National Medical Commission (earlier Medical Council of India) from time to time and thus, the experience earned by faculty on this post was not considered outside the J&K and even in J&K for allotment as PG teacher.
In the past, National Medical Commission wrote several times to J&K Government to enforce the 3-Tier Faculty Structure as prescribed in the NMC Teachers Eligibility Qualification Regulations, 1998 but the authorities remained unmoved. However, the present J&K Administration led by LG Manoj Sinha took the matter seriously and the Administrative Council chaired by him on June 7, 2024 approved the 3-Tier Faculty Structure for GMCs of Jammu and Srinagar.
Talking to Excelsior, Administrative Secretary H&ME Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said that due to financial implications to the tune of about Rs 17 crore for implementation of 3-Tier Faculty Structure in GMC Jammu and GMC Srinagar, we had decided to do this long pending reform in 2 phases and in 1st phase, we today upgraded 287 posts of Lecturers to the level of Assistant Professors.
The Administrative Secretary said in 2nd phase, they will do redistribution of posts as per which 50% posts will be allocated to Assistant Professor, 30% to Associate Professor and 20% to Professor. Terming the reform as historic, he said with the complete implementation of 3-Tier Faculty Structure, there will be increase of around 298 PG seats in GMCs of Jammu and Srinagar together. This will also open promotion avenues for several faculty members, he maintained.
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