Daltonganj: The transfer of four faculty members from Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) here has triggered concern as the institute races to meet a National Medical Commission (NMC) deadline to address acute faculty shortages.The health, medical education and family welfare department issued the transfer notification late on July 31. NMC had asked MMCH to “clear” deficiencies “within 45 days” of its June 22 letter to the principal. The deadline ends on Aug 6.MMCH principal Dr Jakka Srinivas Rao said NMC has granted “strictly conditional” permission for renewal of admission for the 2026-27 session. The commission has warned of penal action, reduction of MBBS seats and suspension of renewal of admission if deficiencies are not removed. MMCH has 100 first-year MBBS seats.The transferred faculty members are Shakti Prakash Gavaskar, assistant professor, forensic medicine and toxicology, to Phulo Jhano Medical College, Dumka; Vinita Nancy Khalkho, associate professor, paediatrics, to MGM Medical College, Jamshedpur; Vivek Bhaskar, associate professor, surgery, to Sheikh Bihari Medical College, Hazaribag; and Aditya Kumar Jha, assistant professor, orthopaedics, to MGM Medical College, Jamshedpur.Sources said MMCH already had a shortage of 11 professors, 5 associate professors and 30 assistant professors before the transfers. No replacements have been posted.Rao said, “Our main concern is for faculty of forensic medicine and toxicology. With Dr Gavaskar leaving, the crisis deepens in the department.”“The forensic medicine and toxicology department has a PG bond faculty whose term of services automatically terminates in Oct. We have no idea about how to run the department,” said a source in the medical college.Rao said, “I have also heard of these measures on the anvil like roping in PG degree holding doctors with promotion in assistant professor rank to serve in govt medical colleges.”
