The fate of 39 doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) awaiting their promotion will be decided when the governing body of AIIMS, headed by Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, will meet on Saturday.
Earlier, the governing body had promoted these doctors despite the fact that they were declared “not fit for promotion” by the standing selection committee earlier this year.
When some of the doctors had threatened to quit following the decision, the Prime Minister had taken notice and asked the ministry to furnish details of the issue. The decision was put on hold thereafter.
Health ministry officials said that the final decision on promotions will now be taken at the April 14 governing body meet. When contacted, AIIMS director Dr R.C. Deka said that “he could not say if there is any change in the earlier decision.”
According to sources, the governing body will decide if these doctors would have to be re-interviewed as “rejecting the selection committee’s decision outrightly would mean that there is lack of confidence,” sources said, adding that the governing body will address the issue of eligibility.
The promotions were at the level of additional and associate professors of various departments at AIIMS.
The minutes of the eight-member standing committee meeting had clearly stated: “The committee reiterates its earlier decision on the fitness or otherwise ... There was universal agreement in deciding unfitness of 25 candidates, the majority members agreed about unfitness of four candidates, and others, except one, agreed on the fitness of 10 candidates.”
The total number of candidates declared “not fit for promotion” were 39 and the reason, as stated in the minutes, reads: “The guiding principle of this committee has been acknowledging merit and to make others aware of their limitations...”