Simply put: What’s stalling the choice of PGIMER Director, why caste panel wants review

The advertisement for the post asked for “teaching and/or research experience of not less than 14 years,… 21 years standing in the profession after post-graduation; extensive practical and administrative experience in the field of medical relief, Medical Research, Medical Education or Public Health Organisation and experience of running important scientific/educational Institution either as its Head… or as Head of the Department”. The “upper age limit should not exceed 60 years,” it said, and added that it was “relaxable for government servants”.

The selection process is opaque after this. No criteria are laid down for selectors to draw up the shortlist and pick the Director. The search and selection committee, formed in August this year, was headed by Union Health Secretary C K Mishra, and included Dr V M Katoch, former D-G of the Indian Council of Medical Research, and Dr Shridhar Dwivedi of Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, New Delhi.

29 applicants were called for an interview; 26 appeared before the committee on October 20. They were asked to prepare a five-slide presentation. Two of the slides had to be about the applicant’s achievements; the other three on his vision for the institute.

“There have never been any criteria to select the PGI Director. The committee only goes by performance and CVs. We only see whether the applicant qualifies, the basic eligibility criteria, and rest is all how they present themselves,” Health Secretary Mishra had told The Indian Express earlier. In its report to the SC Commission, the Health Ministry said “merit” and “suitability” were assessed in shortlisting candidates.

And whom did the panel shortlist?

All three shortlisted candidates are from PGI. Dr Anil Bhansali, first in the list, is head of the Department of Endocrinology. Dr Meenu Singh, second, is from the Department of Paediatrics in charge of the Telemedicine Centre. Dr Jagat Ram, third on the list, heads the Advanced Eye Centre.

The panel created much resentment in the PGI faculty. Dr Bhansali had been probed by the Institute’s vigilance committee in 2005. Also, he is co-author of a paper that had led to accusations of “unethical practice” against his endocrinology department colleague Pinaki Dutta, whom the PGI administration recently chargesheeted.

Prof Meenu Singh is 49th on the seniority list of PGI professors. Faculty members said it was incomprehensible how a “junior professor” who had never headed a department, could be shortlisted. A PGI alumnus wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an inquiry into accusations of plagiarism against Dr Singh. The reference was to a review co-authored by Dr Singh in 2011, which Cochrane Library, an international medical database, withdrew after receiving a complaint from Dr Harri Hemilä of the University of Helsinki, alleging that the Indian authors had used “plagiarised content”.

Who is complaining about the selection?

Professor T D Yadav, head of the PGI Faculty Association, which has 400 members, said selecting a Director on the basis of “just five slides” was disappointing. A senior PGI professor, who was considered a frontrunner for the post but was eliminated in the first round, wrote to the Prime Minister that “merit has been pushed to the corner”, and selecting a person without administrative experience would have a “catastrophic effect”. Two Lok Sabha MPs, Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD) of Anandpur Sahib and Virender Kashyap (BJP) of Shimla, have also raised the issue with the PM. The SC/ST body of PGI went to the SC Commission alleging discrimination in the selection process. Dr Jagat Ram, ranked third in the shortlisted panel, is an SC candidate.

What did the Commission say?

On December 15, it said that the shortlist appeared to have been “decided in advance”, and recommended that it “may be reviewed”. “There are some rules and regulations which are to be followed such as merit, seniority list, experience and length of service… the National Commission of Scheduled Castes recommended that the Secretary Health and Family Welfare may review the selection panel so that justice is done,” Commission member Ishwar Singh had told The Indian Express.

So what happens now?

The Commission’s recommendation, which is non-binding, is with the Health Ministry. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which has to clear one name, will now have to take a call about the appointment process.

But shouldn’t the new Director have been chosen before the incumbent retired?

Dr Y K Chawla, head of the Department of Hepatology, ended his 5-year tenure on October 7, and Dr Subhash Verma, Dean, has been officiating as Director since. The post was advertised in March, but interviews were conducted only in October. PGI officials said the delay was because the Ministry had to go through several processes before the search committee was approved by the Department of Personnel and Training.