Is R.G. Kar Medical College Facing Another Controversy?

Kolkata, July 30 (NationPress) - The state-operated R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the site of a tragic incident involving the rape and murder of a female doctor last year, is once again embroiled in a significant controversy.

This time, the issue revolves around irregularities in the recruitment of house staff, with allegations focusing on the sudden introduction of additional positions.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF), which previously spearheaded protests concerning the R.G. Kar case, has raised concerns regarding these irregularities in house staff appointments. They argue that the newly created positions were concentrated in a specific department.

WBJDF highlighted that historically, the total number of house staff positions at R.G. Kar, inclusive of both new and old batches, was 105, with 84 designated for new candidates and 21 for supplementary batch candidates.

This year, however, controversy has arisen due to the introduction of 12 extra positions in this category, all controversially allocated not just for supplementary batch candidates but exclusively for the cardiology department.

WBJDF claims that the establishment of these additional roles raises suspicions of misconduct in the selection process.

Dr. Aniket Mahato, a prominent figure from last year's R.G. Kar movement, expressed his astonishment at the arbitrary increase in house staff positions, particularly noting, "It is astonishing that 12 seats were added to a single department overnight, all under the supplementary batch quota.”

The rival junior doctors’ association, West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Association (WBJDA), associated with the Trinamool Congress, has taken a measured stance on the controversy. “This issue should not lead to further controversy. The principal has promised that the authorities will investigate. If any irregularities exist, they must be addressed appropriately,” stated WBJDA member Sourav Das.

R.G. Kar’s medical superintendent and vice-principal, Saptarshi Chatterjee, has committed to providing a formal clarification regarding this matter to the institute's authorities in due course.

It was during the administration of former principal Sandip Ghosh that corruption in the appointment process for house staff in the cardiology department first came to light.

Both Ghosh and junior doctor Ashish Pandey, a leader of the Trinamool Congress student wing, were apprehended by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over their involvement in the extensive financial misconduct at R.G. Kar. Currently, both individuals remain in judicial custody.