PGI governing body meeting: 2 nominated members from institute yet to be finalised
At the governing body meeting, agendas related to the institute’s academics, functioning and research are discussed and approved. All the agendas approved in the institute’s standing estate committee, standing selection committee, standing finance committee, and standing academic committee, are also mandated to be approved by the governing body for final nod.
The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, is yet to finalise two faculty members who are to be nominated members in the meeting of the governing body (GB), which is responsible for approving all functioning-related agendas of the institute.
Even though just five days are left for the governing body meeting, which is scheduled for April 10, two out of the total four representatives from the institute are yet to be included in the body.
At the governing body meeting, agendas related to the institute’s academics, functioning and research are discussed and approved. All the agendas approved in the institute’s standing estate committee, standing selection committee, standing finance committee, and standing academic committee, are also mandated to be approved by the governing body for final nod.
It is worth mentioning that a slew of development projects and important decisions related to the institute’s working, including starting of MBBS courses, filing of vacant posts of faculty and non-faculty members, sanctioning of new posts, updating the hospital information system, abolition of clinical or practical evaluation for DM/M.Ch courses, and others—are to be discussed in the meeting.
PGI’s constitution states that the governing body is composed of 16 members, with the Union minister of health & family welfare serving as its president, the director of PGI as its member and secretary, and the other well-known doctors, vice-chancellors and secretaries of different government departments as members.
Out of 16 members, four members include PGIMER director as member and secretary, dean (academics) as a member and two senior most faculty members. The two professors from the institute must be nominated annually on a rotational basis based on seniority, as per the rule.
The PGIMER’s official website indicates that the two senior faculty positions for the governing body are still vacant, and PGI is yet to make a decision on these appointments.
“The two faculty members are nominated based on seniority and given meeting agendas beforehand (at least few weeks ago), so that it can be discussed. Not inviting designated members of the governing body, as defined in the PGI Act would not only be unprecedented, but also unconstitutional,” said a former PGIMER director, adding that the doctors must be nominated, and the meeting can be held without the members only if they choose to mark their absence.
The last governing body meeting, which was held in June 2021, was attended by the then director Dr Jagat Ram, Dr GD Puri as dean (academics) and Dr AK Gupta and Dr RK Sharma (the two-senor most faculty members at that time).
Kumar Gaurav Dhawan, PGI’s deputy director of administration and official spokesperson, however, was unavailable to comment on the issue despite several attempts.
Director PGI Vivek Lal didn’t respond to calls and text messages to comment on the issue.
