The government has emphasised that 'the in-charge arrangement is temporary'. However, the state is without a permanent DME since June 2014.
The Director of Medical Education in states holds a pivotal role in overseeing medical education and healthcare services. (X/dme_telangana)
Telangana set a record on 15 September 2023 by opening nine medical colleges in different districts on a single day. Eight more medical colleges are in the pipeline.
The irony, however, is that the state has not had a Director of Medical Education (DME) ever since it was formed almost a decade ago on 2 June 2014. Dr G Santa Rao, the last DME of unified Andhra Pradesh, opted for the Andhra cadre, and he continued in the same position in that state till his retirement in 2015.
Meanwhile, the Telangana government appointed Dr Putta Srinivas, then the Principal of Osmania Medical College, as the DME in charge. To date, the state has not appointed a permanent DME, but in-charges.
The November election to the state Assembly saw a change of guard with the Congress replacing the BRS (previously TRS). The new government under A Revanth Reddy appointed Dr N Vani, the Principal of Government Medical College, Sangareddy, as the in-charge Director of Medical Education (Admin), replacing the then incumbent Dr B Triveni, on 19 February 2024.
Notable, Dr Triveni’s tenure as the in-charge lasted only two months. She had taken charge on 30 December 2023.
Dr K Ramesh Reddy had preceded Dr Triveni. He was the in-charge for six years after Dr M Ramani’s tenure.
Each time the governments — the previous BRS and the current Congress — shuffled in-charge DMEs, they consistently underscored in the orders that the postings were temporary.
The temporary arrangement has now become a new constant in Telangana. Students who commenced their MBBS course in 2014 have now completed postgraduation and are on the verge of completing their super-specialty courses. The appointment of a permanent DME has now been caught in a legal tangle.
The DME plays a pivotal role in overseeing medical education and healthcare services in the state.
They are responsible for the management of medical and nursing colleges, hospitals, and various healthcare facilities.
Their responsibilities include providing specialised medical care to the public, developing medical and paramedical personnel to meet the state’s health requirements, and fostering the generation of human resources such as doctors, nurses, technicians, and physiotherapists.
The DME is also responsible for ensuring quality medical education and healthcare services to the public.
In April 2023, the Healthcare Reforms Doctors’ Association (HRDA) filed a petition in the High Court of Telangana seeking the annulment of a Government Order, Rt. 603 of 2017, appointing DME Dr K Ramesh Reddy.
The petition urged the court to order the appointment of a regular DME, in strict adherence to the Andhra Pradesh Medical Education Service Rules, as outlined in G.O.Ms. No. 154, dated 27.06.2002, with subsequent amendments in G.O.Ms. No. 330, dated 10.09.2008.
The high court, through an interim order on 24 April 2023, suspended the operation of the order appointing Dr Ramesh Reddy as in-charge DME. Additionally, the court directed the government, specifically the principal secretary, to expedite the appointment of a DME by the prevailing legal provisions.
“On 24 April 2023, the high court issued a significant order with two key directives. First, the court ordered the suspension of the Government Order. Second, the court instructed the government to proceed with the appointment of a permanent Director of Medical Education by the law,” HRDA’s counsel Sama Sandeep Reddy told South First.
“However, Dr Ramesh Reddy attempted to seek protection under another GO of 2021. In this particular order, he was appointed as the In-charge Commissioner of TVVP (Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad),” Sandeep Reddy said.
The HRDA approached the high court again and filed a contempt petition against the principal secretary of the health department SAM Rizvi and Dr Ramesh Reddy.
The court issued a notice for initiating contempt proceedings against Rizvi and Dr K Ramesh Reddy, for their alleged violation of a court order passed and directed them to appear before it at 10.30 am on 21 December 2023.
Before the court hearing, the government took further action in the matter. Dr B Triveni was once appointed as the in-charge DME (Admin), and Dr K Siva Ram Prasad as the in-charge DME (Academics).
“The case is progressing in the high court. Our argument is for the need for a permanent appointment rather than relying on temporary in-charge positions. The court has already expressed dissatisfaction with the in-charge appointment,” the HRDA’s counsel said.
“The government is presenting documents indicating its intention to proceed with a permanent appointment, citing the necessity to compile a seniority list. Nevertheless, we are urging the government to expedite the decision-making process. It is imperative that this matter is resolved promptly, and we cannot afford to prolong the proceedings indefinitely.,” Sandeep Reddy said.
Meanwhile, Rizvi was transferred, and a new government took charge. The current administration appointed two in-charge DMEs and Christina Z Chongthu as the Principal Secretary (Health).
“We have requested the court to implicate the current principal secretary, the individual responsible for interim in-charge appointments,” the advocate added.
On 1 March, the court directed the new secretary to present the government’s position regarding the appointment of a permanent DME.
“The court has posted the matter for 15 March,” Sandeep Reddy said.
In March 2023, the Telangana government created two posts for the DME: DME (Admin) and DME (Academics). Dr Ramesh Reddy remained as DME (Admin) in-charge while the other post was not filed until the court issued a contempt notice in December 2023.
After the contempt notice was served, Rizvi tendered an unconditional apology to the high court for not implementing its order.
“After the finalisation of the seniority list of additional directors of medical education, the proposal will be placed before the Departmental Promotion Committee for consideration for filling up the posts of Director of Medical Education and Director of Medical Education Academic,” he said in his affidavit.
“The delay in the implementation of the court’s order was due to the Election Code and Elections to the Legislative Assembly in November 2023,” he added.
The government, however, ignored Additional DME and Superintendent of Government General Hospital in Wanaparthy Dr A Narendra Kumar, who was second on the seniority list, while making the appointments.
“Instead, Dr Triveni was appointed as DME (Admin) while Dr K Siva Ram Prasad was made the DME (Academics) in-charge. Dr K Siva Ram Prasad is the senior most person while I am the second one, while Dr Triveni was 10th on the seniority list,” Dr Narendra Kumar told South First.
“The Directorate of Medical Education officials circulated the incorrect seniority list. She has reservation, but the reservation rule is applicable only when there are five or more vacant posts. There are only two posts here. So the government corrected the list and sent her back to her previous post,” he said.
However, the government appointed Dr Vani — third on the seniority list — as the in-charge DME (Admin), bypassing Dr Narendra Kumar.
“The rationale behind bypassing me, as per their explanation, stems from a previous legal case I had initiated against the government for a regular DME. In 2022, the government issued a show-cause notice, alleging irregular attendance and non-cooperation with biometric attendance in 2017 when I was working in Warangal. Surprisingly, the case was filed five-and-a-half years after the alleged incident,” Dr Narendra Kumar said.
He approached the court and got the notice suspended. “However, my case was not considered, and the government opted to bypass me and appoint Dr Vani. This decision was influenced by the earlier show-cause notice against me,” he added.
Dr Narendra Kumar has again approached the high court seeking an order to the government to appoint him as as the DME (Academics).
The high court in its 28 February order said the name of the Dr Narendra Kumar was shown against serial number 2 in a department-issued circular as eligible to be promoted as the Director of Medical Education and Director of Medical Education (Academic).
“A charge memo dated 01.09.2022 is pending against the petitioner and the same was suspended by this court on 23.09.2022,” the court said on the show-cause notice.
The court further said that the respondents, principal secretary health, have to consider the case of the petitioner (Dr Narendra Kumar), without taking into account the pendency of the charge memo, for promotion to the posts of Director of Medical Education and Director of Medical Education (Academic).
“… there shall be an interim direction to the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for promotion to the posts of Director of Medical Education and Director of Medical Education (Academic) as per the seniority list…,” the high court said on 27 February.
The state is now awaiting the government’s approach towards the appointment of permanent DMEs. These individuals are crucial for overseeing both medical colleges and teaching hospitals, including institutions like Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital, and MGM Hospital, among others.
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