Suspicion of recruitment sans open ads clouds JNIMS
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 04 2019:
Despite increase in the salary liability of JNIMS as well as likely worsening financial condition of the institute, there is rising suspicion that many individuals are still being recruited unethically/through unofficial channel without any open advertisements.
According to a reliable source, the salary liability of JNIMS for the financial year 2017-18 was Rs 84 crore and the said issue was even discussed during the meeting of JNIMS Governing Council which was chaired by the Chief Minister on December 4 last year.
Since JNIMS is a Government establishment, patients are not charged exorbitant fees and the same is true for the MBBS and PG students of the institute as well.
As such, bar the funds sanctioned by the Government to JNIMS society, the institute has no other tangible means of generating ample revenue, the source explained.
The source continued that owing to the financial problems faced by JNIMS, it was decided during the meeting to take up the only those projects which are mandatory as per the guidelines of the MCI and the Governing Council also recommended JNIMS authority to increase the fees of CT Scan and MRI so as to generate some revenue for the institute.
However, in the midst of such inconveniences, there is rising suspicion that many have been recruited/appointed through unofficial channel without any kind of open advertisements.
The source claimed that despite the scandal regarding illegal regularisation of 303 individuals Who were recruited on daily wage payment basis, the same practice of engaging new people on daily wage basis seems to be going on without any hindrance.
The forced regularisation of 303 individuals who were recruited to Grade III and Grade IV posts on daily wage payment basis on December 17, 2016, following a Cabinet decision, is still ahot topic and there is even a PIL regarding the matter before the Manipur High Court, the source explained.
The source alleged that just recently, on August 4 last year, around 5 people were recruited on daily wage basis by an order signed by JNIMS Director Prof Th Bhimo, without any form of open advertisement.
The said individuals are given wage of around Rs 225 per day and their work period is mentioned as being from May 1 to October 31 as per the order, the source explained adding that it cannot be ascertained whether or not the work period of the said 5 individuals have been extended or not.
However, the said individuals are still carrying on with their work at JNIMS, the source claimed.
Pointing out that there is suspicion regarding recruitment of many such individuals, the source alleged that except the appointment of some regular sweepers of the institute in 1998 (when the institute was known as JN Hospital), there has been no information regarding appointing regular employees at the institute till date.
As per official documents, engagement of individuals on daily wage payment basis at JNIMS began during 2010-11 but till date, JNIMS authority has failed to properly reply to numerous RTIs filed by individuals questioning if the said engagements were done after proper advertisements and recruitment process.
The source informed that the JNIMS Director during whose time (2010-11) the engagement on daily wage payment practice began passed away while another former JNIMS Director of that period, was arrested by NLA.
The failure of proper documentation regarding the engagement of people on daily wage payment at JNIMS is also another factor in lack of substantial information regarding the issue.
And this has led to Manipur Information Commission even disposing some of the RTIs.
The lack of any related documents regarding the unethical engagement has also made it impossible for anyone to be legally prosecuted or tried/charged in connection with the matter.
As such, the incident seems to have presented an opportunity for the practice of unethical and reckless recruitment to go on unabated at JNIMS, the source claimed.
Regarding the case of engagement on daily wage payment basis, the High Court of Manipur had even ordered a SIT to be constituted to investigate into the matter but any form of investigation report of the SIT is missing till date.