Faculty at ESI Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science and Research (PGIMSR) in Basaidarpur, New Delhi, was transferred suddenly on the evening of Saturday, May 20. Such a move, ordered by the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Committee has resulted in massive protests by the student community, starting yesterday, May 24.
"The transfer order informs that the move should be implemented immediately. We protested from morning to afternoon yesterday and today (May 25). We shall continue this tomorrow as well," said Dr Rahul Rohitraj, a representative of the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) at ESI PGIMSR. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has shown support for the students.
The doctors primarily demand that the transfers be revoked. "The transfers were done arbitrarily, and not in a phased manner. Faculty members were transferred from here to other districts and even other states. Some were also allotted hospitals in the South zone," said Rahul.
He added that highly experienced doctors were transferred to smaller hospitals with no PG education facilities. "Some were transferred from 1,000-bedded hospitals to 100-bedded hospitals," Rahul said. The student further stated that such a transfer order was against the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines.
The PG medicos demand that in case the transfers are not halted, they should be carried out in phases as per the NMC guidelines, and not in the middle of their term. "Their demands are genuine," says Dr Rohan Krishnan, the immediate past president of FAIMA. He adds that though transfers in a government set-up such as ESI are not unusual, "Usually, 1-2 faculty members are transferred. A maximum of 25 per cent of the faculty may be transferred. But 100 per cent transfers were never seen before in any hospital."
The transfer order is proving to be mental agony for both students and faculty. Speaking about the students, Dr Krishnan says, "The students are assigned faculty guides for research and thesis work. If these professors and associate professors are transferred all of a sudden, then students will be left hanging."
"We have to submit our research work before our final year. But this order is creating a disruption in the academic calendar, and is also affecting our research work," adds Dr Rahul. The RDA representative further mentions that the quality of education in the college might also be affected because of the arbitrary transfers.
"Students who score a high percentage in NEET PG get to choose government hospitals in Delhi, which is the hotspot for medical education. Students who choose ESI have high expectations because of the faculty it has. Now those faculty members are being transferred. There is a programme at ESI through which students can be chosen by the faculty. This will be affected," Rahul stated, adding that the future prospects of the students are at risk.
"With such an order the college is also risking its NMC recognition," he added. The students have submitted representations against the move to the Medical Superintendent of ESI PGIMSR, and the president of the NMC's postgraduate medical education board.
Even the faculty members feel harassed, according to the student. "Many have families with children here. They also filed grievances with the authorities," Rahul said.
