IT News,
Imphal, Aug 8:
Allegations are circulating in various media outlets regarding the appointment of Prof. Longjam Usharani as the in-charge director of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), claiming her appointment violates National Medical Commission (NMC) criteria. However, findings by Imphal Times reveal these claims to be factually incorrect and misleading.
The reports falsely state that Prof. Usharani does not meet the NMC attendance criteria for the director’s post, citing her attendance as less than 75% over the last three years, 50% in the past year, and 100% in the last three months, including 25% full hours attendance (8 am to 5 pm) in the last three months. Imphal Times confirms that attendance is not relevant to the appointment criteria outlined in the JNIMS Recruitment Rules (RR). Additionally, it is claimed that the state government has financially neglected JNIMS, leading to irregular salary payments.
It is worth mentioning that JNIMS was taken over by the State Government as a Government Medical College on December 1, 2023. Since then, various restructuring processes have been underway. During this transition, the appointment and promotion of staff at JNIMS are to follow the existing JNIMS Service Rules. According to these rules, the post of Director is a direct recruitment position on a contractual basis for three years, extendable up to a maximum of two additional years or until the age of 70, whichever is earlier. The candidate must have a postgraduate medical qualification from a recognized institute and a minimum of 10 years of teaching experience as a Professor/Associate Professor, with at least five years as a Professor in a department. Prof. Usharani Longjam meets all these criteria and is the senior-most Professor at JNIMS.
The alleged NMC attendance criteria mentioned in the news reports are not part of the eligibility requirements for the Director’s post. Additionally, there is no NMC rule that includes these attendance criteria for the Director position. It has been noted that the online biometric attendance system at the Faculty Block has frequently been non-functional. The attendance criteria being circulated are false and appear to be the work of individuals with vested interests.
Contrary to the false reports, no official communication from JNIMS staff, including the Teachers’ Association, Trained Nurses Association, Non-Teaching Staff Association, or Student Association, has expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s order. In fact, the appointment of a qualified Director from within the institute has been widely appreciated by the JNIMS community.
There have been some transitional issues regarding financial sanctions and disbursement due to JNIMS’s transition to a State Government Medical College. However, there are no pending salaries for the staff of JNIMS, according to a source from JNIMS. The government remains committed to ensuring the smooth functioning and stability of JNIMS, refuting any attempts to spread false information and disrupt its operations.
