Post of Medical Superintendent of RIMS in a quandary
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pramod Ningombam
Imphal, March 01 2011:
Confusion and controversy abounding the post of the Medical Superintendent of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) may affect the health services offered by this premier institute.
According to a notification by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, North East Division, Government of India, dated October 25, 2010 the retirement age of the Medical Superintendent (MS) of RIMS was specified as 62 years.
As per this notification the present Medical Superintendent of RIMS, Dr Y Mohen was supposed to retire on February 28.However, Dr Mohen had challenged the notification and filed a case at the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench accordingly on December 14.As a result the court stayed the notification.
Speaking to this reporter, Dr Y Mohen pointed out that there is a vast difference in the rank as well as the pay scale of the posts of Medical Superintendent and Professor at RIMS.
"However in 2009, as per UGC scale, the pay scales of both the posts were made equal.
On top of that while the retirement age of a Professor was pegged at 65 years; that of a Medical Superintendent was put at 62 years.
That is why I had filed the case," he said.
In this crucial juncture, the Director of RIMS yesterday issued an order asking him to return as Professor of RIMS.
He said, under normal circumstances he would have happily welcomed the order but as there is already a court stay order involving him, he will not be able to comply with the Director's order.
Further his legal counsel Advocate N Hemchandra has sent a legal notice to the Director of RIMS as well as the Health Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, North East Division in this regard, he added.
Meanwhile, according to a reliable source, another official order has been recently passed appointing the present Professor of Anaesthesia, Dr H.Shanti, as Medical Superintendent (In-Charge) of RIMS.