Hardeep Jamwal, JNM Journalist, Jammu
Major administrative changes are likely to take place soon in the government medical and dental colleges of Jammu and Kashmir. The Department of Health and Medical Education has issued directives to implement an order regarding the rotation of Heads of Departments (HoDs) that was originally issued three years ago. Consequently, a reshuffle of HoDs across all government medical and dental colleges in the region is expected to begin.
According to reports, the Department of Health and Medical Education had issued an order on June 22, 2023, mandating the appointment of professors as HoDs on a rotational basis for two-year terms. However, the decision faced opposition from many HoDs at the time, and in some instances, legal challenges were also raised. Due to this resistance, the order could not be effectively implemented for a long period.
Now, Dr. Ata-ul-Munim, Additional Secretary of the Department, has written to the principals of all government medical and dental colleges, instructing them to implement the said order. This move is expected to trigger administrative activity across the various colleges.
Sources indicate that most incumbent HoDs are not in favor of this system. They argue that an HoD requires sufficient time to implement reformative and long-term plans within a department. Senior doctors believe that a two-year tenure is too short and should be extended to at least four years to better facilitate departmental development and academic activities.
This decision by the Health Department is likely to accelerate the process of new appointments and administrative restructuring in medical education institutions in the coming days. At the same time, the potential for debate and opposition within the medical community regarding this decision remains.
