Pune: Eleven senior professors from Pune’s BJ Medical College (BJMC) and one from Solapur’s Government Medical College (GMC) will go on deputation to govt-run Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar Medical College in Baramati which is short staffed.A letter signed by commissioner of medical education and AYUSH Anil Bhandari to the deans of both colleges said these professors were on temporary deputation and their pay scales and grades would not change. The professors are unhappy with the decision.Bhandari said, “As per the National Medical Council (NMC) norms, there is excess faculty in these two colleges. So, we have deputed some staff to Baramati medical college where students have already taken admission and it is the need of the hour. It is a temporary deputation and we are getting new recruits through MPSC in a month. However, we will look into their objections.”BJMC’s dean Dr Eknath Pawar said he is waiting for the official intimation. “The senior professors met me. I have not yet relieved them since I have not yet received the letter. We too have a shortage of faculty and if these professors go to Baramati, then our students will face difficulties,” he added.GMC Solapur dean Dr R D Jaykar said since only one professor has been deputed, he has already relieved the professor of his duties.Professors on deputation from BJMC include heads of gynaecology, internal medicine, and microbiology and assistant professors from pharmacy, surgery, paediatrics, internal medicine, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and associate professors from anatomy and pharmacy departments. Their representatives submitted a letter last Tuesday to the medical education commissioner’s office seeking a rollback of the decision. Doctors and postgraduate students at BJMC said the medical college is older and bigger than Baramati’s which is not yet fully functional.One of the affected professors said he may resign if he is forced to go to Baramati. “Many of us have been here for a long time and built a strong reputation. Some others have been at BJMC for their entire careers, but have not been told to go to Baramati.”
