Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, July 12: The Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department has notified the Uniform Selection Criteria for engaging faculty positions in Government Ayurvedic and Unani Medical Colleges across J&K. These directives aim to establish a standardized procedure for the appointment of Associate Professors, Assistant Professors and Medical Officers under the laid down rules.
The issued directives specifically refer to Rule 6 of the J&K Medical & Dental Education (Appointment on Academic Arrangement Basis) Rules, 2020, which outlines the composition of the Selection Committee responsible for overseeing the appointment process.
According to the Health & Medical Education Department (H&ME), the Selection Committee will be chaired by the Administrative Secretary of the department. Additionally, the Principal of the respective Government Medical College, Dental College, Ayurvedic College, or Unani College will serve as a committee member, along with the Head of the concerned discipline in the medical college or the Director of Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) for Ayurvedic and Unani colleges.
To ensure a comprehensive and fair selection process, an expert nominated by the Government in the relevant discipline will also be included in the committee. This composition, officials said, aims to facilitate the appointment of qualified and deserving candidates for faculty positions and Medical Officers in these medical institutions.
According to the newly established uniform selection criteria, the selection process for the post of Associate Professor, Ayurveda, and Associate Professor, Unani, will consider 50 points for marks in BAMS, 20 points for teaching experience, 20 points for research publications, and 10 points for higher qualifications. The same criteria will be followed for the positions of Assistant Professor, Ayurveda, and Assistant Professor, Unani with the relevant degree.
For the post of Medical Officer, Ayurveda, the criteria allocate 60 points for marks in BAMS, 20 points for a master’s degree in the relevant subject, 10 points for academic honours, and 10 points for a PhD in the relevant subject. The identical criteria will be applied for the position of Medical Officer, Unani.
The H&ME also acknowledged that the existing Jammu & Kashmir Medical & Dental Education (Appointment on Academic Arrangement Basis) Rules, 2020 did not provide specific selection criteria for engagement in Government Ayurvedic and Unani Medical Colleges.
To bridge this gap, the H&ME Department had previously issued Government Order No. 282-JK(HME) of 2023 on April 4, 2023, establishing uniform selection criteria for faculty positions and Registrars/Demonstrators/ Tutors in all Government Medical Colleges and Government Dental Colleges of J&K.
In line with the earlier order, the Department formed a committee consisting of Postgraduate Medical Officers of Ayurvedic/Unani disciplines to develop the selection criteria for engaging faculty and Medical Officers in Government Ayurvedic and Unani Medical Colleges on an academic arrangement basis.
“Following a thorough examination of the proposed selection criteria to the recruitment rules of these medical colleges, the final selection criteria have been formulated,” officials said.