Responding to a petition filed in Bombay High Court by a group of post-graduate medical students,the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday justified its policy of not giving priority to doctors serving their bond period for posts of assistant professors. The petitioners have demanded that they be given the posts which remain vacant in the BMC. They claimed that they would be entitled for the posts during their one-year bond period,when they have to serve in a peripheral hospital. A division bench of Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice R G Ketkar,however,said they were not entitled but only eligible to apply for the posts,and that the BMC would act according to what is in its interest. The BMC makes appointments for professors in colleges attached to Nair,Sion and KEM hospitals. Appearing for the BMC,senior lawyer Ashutosh Kumbhakoni said there are three levels at these colleges assistant professor,associate professor and professor. Doctors who are serving their bond would tend to leave the job once the stipulated period of one year is over. If priority is given to such doctors,then it will be difficult to make appointments for the posts of associate professor and professor. If these posts remain vacant,then the recognition of the medical colleges may be put in danger. The petitioners had pointed to letters by heads of the department to deans,in which they referred to vacant posts of assistant professors. However,the court noted that the letters referred to appointment on a permanent basis. The case will be heard further on Tuesday.
