Gandhi Medical College Professors Moonlighting At Private Hospitals Kick Up Row

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Several professors from Gandhi Medical College (GMC) are working for private hospitals to examine patients or perform surgeries, a practice that has kicked up a row at the institution. A few professor-level doctors are also allegedly part of private hospital management.

According to the GMC administration, there is a restriction on professors working in any private hospital. They can, however, provide consultancy at home after duty hours if they do not draw the Non-Practising Allowance (NPA).

Well-known doctors including Dr AK Chaurasia (neurologist), Dr Prateek Tiwari (oncologist), Dr SK Jain (gastroenterologist), Dr Ajay Sharma (cardiologist) and Dr Ashish Gohiya are professors at GMC. Similarly, Dr Sushma Nigam and Dr Sarita Bhargav (gynaecology) serve at Indira Gandhi Hospital. Besides their government duties, these doctors are allegedly engaged in private practice or visit private hospitals for surgery.

In a related instance, Dr Pushpendra Chaukikar was suspended in August 2025 by the CMHO after his name appeared on the rolls of two private facilities - Bachpan and Arogya hospitals. The licences of the two hospitals were also suspended.

Dr AK Chaurasia, professor of neurology at GMC who runs Sarottvam Hospital in Lalghati, said, For those who do not take NPA, there was an earlier rule that we had to inform GMC before diagnosing patients in private hospitals, but there is a stay from the high court. As of now, we can perform surgery in private hospitals after duty hours, but we cannot run our own hospitals at home or any other place.

Dr ID Chaurasia, former medical superintendent of Hamidia Hospital, said, Only consultancy at home is allowed for government doctors. I always give consultancy but from my home. I did not join any private hospitals during my government job. But today, most GMC professors are performing surgery in private hospitals, which is against the rules.

FAIMA national executive member Dr Akash Soni said there must be a monitoring committee at the state level to ensure compliance. Medical college professors cannot engage in private practice during working hours and are often restricted from it entirely if they accept NPA. The National Medical Commission (NMC) forbids private practice during duty hours, Soni added.

Quote

As per rules, medical professors can only give consultancy at home if they are not taking the benefit of NPA. We have to probe how many professors have given up NPA benefits if they are working in private hospitals after duty hours.

Dr Kavita N Singh

Dean, GMC