Srinagar: J&K Government today issued an order affecting filling up of gazetted posts, including that of faculty at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura and SKIMS Medical College Hospital Bemina through J&K Public Service Commission. The order curtails the authority of this ‘autonomous’ Institute to independently handle its hiring process.
The letter issued by Deputy Secretary to Government with ‘the approval of the competent authority (Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor’ has directed Director SKIMS Soura and Ex-Offcio Secretary to Government, Prof Parvaiz Koul to take ‘further necessary action in the matter’.
The order states that all the Gazetted/Faculty vacancies/posts under direct quota at SKIMS, Soura, and SKIMS Medical College, Bemina will now be filled through the J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC). In other words, the authority of the recruitment process for these positions has been transferred from the SKIMS to the JKPSC.
The order refers to a previous order, GAD(Adm)51/2020-IV dated 15.01.2021 which had ‘advised’ SKIMS Soura to fill Class-IV and non-Gazetted vacancies at the Institute by submitting appropriate requests to the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB). SKIMS Soura was established as an autonomous medical institute under the J&K State Legislature Act in 1983, on the same lines as AIIMS New Delhi. It was programmed to function independently and has its own governing body responsible for overseeing its administrative and academic affairs.
Over the decades, the Institute emerged as one of the most prestigious medical centers in India, and catered to specialty and super specialty needs of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the dearth of staff to cater to expanding bed-capacity has been one of concerns.