Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court's principal bench in Jabalpur has issued notices to the deans of medical colleges following a controversy over the promotion of assistant and associate professors.
Justice Vivek Singh issued the notices, seeking their stand on seniority and promotion criteria at government medical colleges, said petitioners' advocate Aditya Sanghi.
Dr Ruchi Agarwal, who was working as a demonstrator in BMC, Sagar, was not promoted as assistant professor and instead her junior was given promotion even when Agarwal was meritorious and senior to her. She was denied promotion on the ground that she could not get 13 marks as per the rule.
Senior advocate Aditya Sanghiv on behalf of the petitioners said, “The rule of 13 marks came only in 2025, whereas this was not the rule by which the advertisement was issued for promotion to the post of assistant professor in a government medical college. Similarly, confidential reports were not given to the petitioner.
In contrast, CRs should be communicated immediately to the candidate as per the Supreme Court order. Still, the medical college CR was not communicated even after 2 years and therefore any further promotion be stayed.”
In Bhopal, controversy was also generated as acting professors were promoted over associate professors in Gandhi Medical College (GMC), Bhopal.
Associate professors from four to five departments, including oncology, cardiology and endocrinology, were denied promotions. Acting professors like Surendra Raikwar and Dr Sabiha Sultana, a senior obstetrician and gynaecologist, were given priority over them in promotion.
After Dr Aruna Kumar, Dr Sultana was made acting professor and HoD of Gynaecology, and now she has been promoted as professor. Such acting professors were given priority instead of promoting the serving associate professors.
