An executive committee of BPKIHS on Monday decided to scrap all MD and MS quotas, which were allocated for junior resident doctors as part of the Faculty Development Program (FDP). Instead, BPKIHS decided to transfer FDP quotas to non-resident doctors. [break]
The decision came after Junior Resident Welfare Society (JRWS), an umbrella organization of 241 doctors at BPKIHS, launched an agitation against the interview criterion for selection of candidates.
“The decision will be effective only for this year, though,” said Dr Bikram Shrestha, rector of BPKIHS. JRWS had protested the new provision, saying that it would promote nepotism in the process of selecting candidates from among junior resident doctors under FDP quotas.
BPKIHS has been providing FDP quotas to junior doctors with the aim of producing professors from within the institute. Those who study under FDP quotas will have to serve at BPKIHS for at least five years after completion of their studies.
Until last year, BPKIHS conducted only written exams to select candidates under FDP quotas on the basis of merit. “We wanted BPKIHS to continue with its tradition of selecting candidates under FDP quotas on merit,” said Dr Bikash Gauchan, chairman of JRWS.
However, Dr Parash Pokharel, spokesperson for BPKIHS, refuted JRWS´s allegations that the new provision would promote nepotism. “Prospective candidates will not be interviewed by just one person but a panel of senior authorities,” said Dr Pokharel. “So, it will in no way promote nepotism.”
Dr Pokharel justified the new provision saying that interviews of prospective candidates will allow BPKIHS authorities to examine their attitude and psychological conditions. “Of those who study under FDP quotas, some will become professors,” he said. “So, it is important for us to interview them.”
Meanwhile, JRWS has decided to continue with their agitation after their talks with rector Dr Shrestha failed on Wednesday. “Now, we will try to sort out the issue by holding talks with the Vice Chancellor of BPKIHS,” said Dr Gauchan. “But, at the same time, we will also carry on our protest programs.”
Junior doctors, who had been wearing black arm bands at work, decided not to work at the Outgoing Patient Department (OPD) of BPKIHS from Thursday.
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