Baramulla, Aug 18: Non-gazetted employees of Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla have launched an indefinite peaceful protest, demanding the long-pending framing of recruitment rules, which they say has remained unresolved for nearly seven years.
The protesting employees said they had earlier raised the issue with the administration and staged a protest following which they were assured that the recruitment rules would be finalised within three months. However, they said the assurance was not fulfilled even after the deadline elapsed.
The employees have now decided to continue their agitation indefinitely until a senior authority from the administration or Health and Medical Education Department, including the Health Secretary, intervenes and provides a concrete assurance on the matter.
According to the protesting staff, the prolonged delay in framing recruitment rules has also affected the process of fresh appointments in newly established government medical colleges across Jammu and Kashmir. They alleged that the absence of clear recruitment rules has contributed to significant manpower shortages in several institutions.
Employees claimed that some medical colleges are functioning with staff shortages approaching 50 per cent, placing additional pressure on the existing workforce and affecting the smooth functioning of various departments.
They said that while new medical colleges have expanded healthcare and medical education capacity in the region, the corresponding administrative and support staff structure has not kept pace with the expansion.
The employees argued that recruitment rules are essential to provide a clear framework for appointments, promotions, career progression and service conditions. Their continued absence, they said, has created uncertainty among existing employees while also delaying recruitment against vacant posts.
The protesters appealed to the government to treat the issue as a matter of urgency and initiate the necessary administrative process for finalising the rules without further delay.
They also stressed that their protest is peaceful and aimed at securing a legitimate resolution rather than disrupting healthcare services. However, they maintained that the agitation would continue until they receive a clear and credible commitment from the competent authority.
The employees said they expect the Health and Medical Education Department to engage with them and address their concerns at the earliest, warning that prolonged uncertainty could further strain the functioning of medical institutions already facing manpower constraints.
