GMC Rajouri without regular principal for last 2 years

Affairs of college being run through additional charge basis

Sumit Bhargav

Rajouri, Jan 8

Catering healthcare needs of thousands of people in twin districts Rajouri and Poonch besides parts of Reasi district through its Associated Hospital , the Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri is without a regular principal for last more than two years.

The affairs of the college are run by others officers, who are given the additional charge of principal for some time.

The last regular principal of this vital institute was Dr Brij Mohan Gupta who attained superannuation on December 31, 2021 and he was third regular side principal of college. Surprisingly, the medical college has been headed by only three regular principals, while other officials given the additional charge of principal have run the college five times.

GMC Rajouri was established vide Government of Jammu and Kashmir Order No 675-HME of 2017 Dates 23/10/2017. The first batch of MBBS students got admission on August 4, 2019.

Initially started in the building of Associated Hospital at Kheora Rajouri, the medical college has now been shifted to Maira campus, eight kms away town the headquarter.

As per details, the first Principal of medical college was Dr Zahid H Gillani who was In-charge Principal and he served for almost two years after which Dr Kuldeep Singh was appointed as Incharge Principal following which Dr Brij Mohan Gupta was ordered to be the next Principal. However, after his superannuation the medical college is headless.

Reports say in the first few months of 2022, a senior doctor of GMC Rajouri Dr G A Shah looked after the affairs of the medical college in addition to his own duties and following his superannuation, GMC Jammu’s Principal was given additional charge of the post.

Thereafter, in second last week of October 2022, the charge of Principal of GMC Rajouri was given to Dr A S Bhatia, a senior faculty member of GMC Jammu who is since then looking after the affairs of this medical college.

Some official sources said many efforts were made in the past by Health and Medical Education Department to appoint a regular side principal but no conclusion could be reached as most of the eligible officials are reluctant to be posted in Rajouri . They rather prefer serving in big cities like Jammu and Srinagar, they added.

The people of Rajouri have demanded appointment of a regular principal in the college. They including Mohammad Farooq, Yog Raj, Rakesh Kumar, and Waseem Ahmed. They said that delay in posting a regular Principal in GMC Rajouri shows step motherly treatment with people of Pir Panjal.