SKIMS Soura faculty recruitment rules outdated: Aspirants

Srinagar, Feb 4: Aspirants for faculty positions at SKIMS Soura today expressed shock and disappointment over the alleged non-adherence to the revised national eligibility criteria for faculty positions as mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for the recently advertised positions.

The delegation of aspirants said the J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura have not adhered to the revised national eligibility criteria for faculty positions laid down by NMC.

The issue pertains to JKPSC Notification No. 15-PSC (DR-P) of 2025, issued on December 8, 2025. SKIMS has invited online applications for various faculty posts including Assistant Professor positions in various specialties. The aspirants claimed that the notification does not incorporate the updated norms outlined in the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, which were notified by the NMC. “The new and revised norms come into effect from June 30, 2025, but even when the positions were advertised in December, SKIMS Soura did not deem it important to conform to the rules,” an aspirant told Greater Kashmir wishing anonymity.

The NMC's 2025 regulations are aimed at expanding the pool of eligible faculty in order to address shortages in medical education. “Experienced clinicians from government hospitals can transition into teaching roles, and this has been happening in many institutions,” the aspirants said.

The aspirants said for the position of Assistant Professor, essential qualification is that the candidate must have a recognized postgraduate degree (MD/MS/DNB) in the relevant specialty. They must have at least 2 years of cumulative work experience in a government hospital with at least 220 beds after obtaining the postgraduate degree. The candidates must complete the Basic Course in Biomedical Research within 2 years of appointment.

Importantly, non-teaching consultants or specialists with this experience are eligible without mandatory senior residency, while Diploma holders with 6 years of post-diploma experience in recognized teaching institutions are also qualified.

For the posts of Associate Professor, a postgraduate degree and 10 years of cumulative experience in a government hospital with at least 220 beds is eligible. For the post of Professor, 3 years of postgraduate teaching experience as a Senior Consultant in a recognized institution is needed.

The aspirants argued that the JKPSC notification and SKIMS requisition appear to rely on outdated or pre-2025 criteria and urged that the notification be withdrawn at the earliest. They said the notification excludes qualified candidates who meet the new national standards. “The faculty recruitment in medical institutions must follow uniform national norms prescribed by the NMC,” the aspirants said. “Ignoring the regulations, they said, the institution and recruiting agency will risk rendering the selections ultra-vires and void from the beginning," they said.

Director SKIMS Soura, Prof Ashraf Ganai did not comment on the issue.