Three years on, GMCH faculty still awaits central recruitment, promotion rules

A recent general body meeting of the Faculty Association of GMCH addressed the issue, with many faculty members voicing frustration over the delay. The recruitment and promotional rules for teaching faculty were notified in the gazette and scheduled to take effect from April 1, 2022, yet no progress has been made.

According to Prof. Ashwani K Dalal, president of the Faculty Welfare Body, the Chandigarh Administration’s inaction has caused professional stagnation for many faculty members awaiting promotions. “Many eligible faculty members remain in limbo due to this administrative delay,” he said.

The Faculty Welfare Body has resolved to wait until March 10, 2025, for the Administration to take concrete steps. If no action is taken by then, the general body will explore further measures to press for implementation. “We remain committed to advocating for the rights and career progression of our members and will take all necessary steps to resolve this issue,” added Prof. Dalal.

Faculty members pointed out that while most central rules have been implemented—such as the retirement age increasing from 62 to 65, changes in the pay structure, and a reduction in casual leave—the recruitment rules remain unchanged. The delay has also stalled new recruitments, leading to multiple litigations across departments.

“We have even received permission from the Ministry of Health to adopt the service rules, yet the Administration has taken no action despite repeated appeals. It can adopt the rules as they are, modify them for Chandigarh, or frame new ones, but a decision must be made soon,” said Prof. Dalal.

Chandigarh Health Secretary Ajay Chagti was contacted several times over the last week but was unavailable for comment.