By Dhanbir Maibam
IMPHAL, May 23: A dispute has arisen over the re-appointment of Prof. Ch Arunkumar as director-in-charge of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and the extension of his service years after some of his colleagues in the institute challenged the move as a flagrant violation of the guidelines of both the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as well as those of the RIMS itself.
When contacted, Prof Arunkumar downplayed the complaint against his re-appointment, asking his detractors to approach either the court of law or ask the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare the reason for their decision to extend his service as director of the institute.
According to information gathered by Imphal Free Press, the incumbent director who succeeded Prof. Dr. S. Rita, who was the acting director of the institute for a period of six months, had completed 62 years on February 28, 2014.
There is in existence a service rule that clearly mentions that no faculty member can hold any administrative post after reaching that age.
According to the service option rule of RIMS, if faculty members wished to serve in a teaching faculty, the age of superannuation can be extended to 65 years.
Prof. Ch Arunkumar as well as other senior faculty members of RIMS namely Prof. Dr DC Sharma of Pathology Department and Prof. Dr K Nareshkumar Singh of Opthamology Department had opted for position in teaching when the service forms were offered to them.
The pertinent point here is that there is no relaxation in the rulebook of the institute which allows a faculty member who had opted for his superannuation of service to 65 years, therefore the teaching line, to serve in an administrative post and be assigned as director, according to those complaining against his reappointment.
The appointment of Dr. Ch Arunkumar as director was made vied an order issued by the undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, DD Maheshwari on April 26, 2016.
However, the order was in disagreement of an earlier office memorandum of the same ministry issued on February 24, 2014.
The memo mentioned that the post of director, principal, dean, medical superintendent of medical colleges, medical institutions, HODs, will be treated as administrative post and general rule of keeping them up to 62 years on these posts will be followed.
However, it also said they will be allowed to go back to their respective speciality to their original medical colleges/institutions and continue up to 65 years in the teaching line.
One of the shortcomings on the part of RIMS authority was that it did not hold briefing on the selection of the successors of Prof S. Rita at the time her term of six months as acting director was drawing to a close.
On the other hand, in the aftermath of Prof Ch Arunkumar being given the additional charge of director, a deputy director of administration who also holds the post of head of department and is also a member of ethical sub-committee made an official note stating that “Prof. Ch Arunkumar is one of my senior professors who have crossed 62 years of age and signed option like others. Thus it is beyond the zone of consideration of any administrative assignment w.r.t him, hence he ceased to be HOD and in-charge medical superintendent on February 28, 2014… His link to RIMS is left for teaching assignment only, therefore, no question of consideration of administrative post after the option was signed by him or had he not signed the option then he would be superannuated at the age of 62 years.”
When contacted Prof Arunkumar stated that he wishes to refrain from acts of hurling allegations against others and also advised others to follow suit.
If anybody wants to challenge my appointment as director or has been aggrieved by the order in this regard, the individual can challenge it in the law of court, he said.
Alternately, he or she can file a complaint with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which authorised the appointment, Prof Arunkumar challenged.