BMC plans permanent recruitment of 700+ full-time professors in its four major medical colleges to ease long-standing staff crunch | File Photo
Mumbai: After years of reeling under staff crunch, the four major BMC-run medical colleges are set to fill the posts of full-time professors on permanant basis.
“Over 700 teaching staff, which includes lectures, assistant professors and professors. The hiring will done through Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) and we expect to publish the advertisements for hiring within a quater,” Dr Neelam Andrade, Director of major BMC hospitals told the Free Press Journal.
The major BMC-run hospitals are KEM, LTMG (Sion), BYL Nair and RN Cooper, and the hospitals have medical colleges attached. As per the sources, there are total 891 assistant professors’ posts in the four major hospitals, of which 329 are filled on contractual basis and 129 are permanent employees, while 439 posts are vacant.
“The professors teach as well as treat the patients in the hospital. They also need to handle some administrative work. The severe staff crisis in BMC-run medical colleges has reached a critical point. This severe understaffing has persisted for years, directly impacting the quality of medical education and healthcare services provided to the citizens of Mumbai,” said Dr Abhinav Wagh, an health activist and former student of Nair hospital and medical college.
Dean of BYL Nair hospital, Dr Shailesh Mohite said, “If professors are hired on permanent basis it will be beneficial. Currently, we are operating with professors on contract basis and some professors have been on contract from 7-8 years. If there are permanent employees, there is a job guarantee and they also get payments for attending medical conferences.”
Dr Andrade said that the hiring of professors was delayed due to change in reservation. “All files are cleared by Municipal Commissioner and we have submitted it to the state urban development department, with revised roaster. We expect their final sanction anytime soon. Once the administrative procedures are done, advertisements will be published.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray met BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on Tuesday regarding the staff crunch.
In his letter to the commisioner, Thackeray said, “Assistant professor posts have not been filled for the last 6 to 7 years. There resentment among the professors and their eligibility age is passing, which can be a problem for their future permanent employment. These contractual assistant professors should be adjusted in permanent jobs, and their salaries which is equivalent to resident doctors should also be increased.”
A former head of department of KEM hospital, who did not wished to be named said, “Although BMC is hiring 700 plus full time professors, which is a requirement, but there will be huge financial load on the government/corporation. The administration has to ensure they are present at the hospital premises in their duty hours.”
