In a first, seniormost professor not given officiating charge of director at PGIMER

For the first time in the history of PGIMER, the senior-most professor has not been given the officiating charge of the PGI director. PGIMER and AIIMS follow the same administrative rules and as per which a senior-most professor should have been an officiating Director. Surprisingly, superseding almost four faculty members in the list, Prof Surjit Singh, head of pediatrics, was given the charge by the union ministry of health and family welfare on Saturday. Prof Singh has been known for his contribution to the management of Kawasaki disease— an autoimmune disease— in children for 27 years.

An MBBS pass-out from Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, and MD from PGI, Prof Singh joined in 1984 as a resident in the institute. While talking to The Daily Guardian Dr. Singh exhorts, “It came as a surprise to me,” said Prof Singh. “Covid has been an unprecedented time for all of us, though I do not feel that third wave could strike us, especially kids as predicted. As I just joined as an officiating Director and Like any other doctor, my top priority will be patient care. It is not easy to decongest the emergency, but we will try to provide the best quality care,”.

As per the recruitment rules, Prof GD Puri, dean, academics, was the senior-most faculty member and eligible for the post. “But due to his some baseless alleged anti-government comments on a microblogging site, he was not considered for the post. While the others next to him are due to retire in another two months. That is why Prof Singh was shortlisted,” said a faculty member.

Few senior professors are feeling agitated with the appointment of Prof Singh as Officiating Director. On the condition of anonymity, a senior bureaucrat from the Health Ministry said that it is Prof Jagat Ram’s recommendation that made Dr. Singh an officiating Director.

However, the move has not gone down well with a few. “There are four professors who still have a tenure of more than six months left and are senior to the one selected,” said a senior professor who was on the list. The PGI had sent a list of the top ten seniormost professors to the ministry a few days ago. “We have requested the ministry for an early institute body meeting which shall constitute the search selection committee for the new director’s selection. This will take another 15-20 days,” said an official at PGI.