Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, May 22: The probe committee set up by the Government on 5th May this year following corruption reports against Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura has failed to submit its report even after 10 days of submission date.
An official privy to the case told Excelsior that the three-member committee was supposed to submit its report on 12th May, but it failed to do so as one of the committee members tested positive for COVID. However, the officials who are binding their hopes on the committee levelled charges against the hospital saying that the delay is “a deliberate attempt to shield the officials who are running the institute as per their interest”.
The department of Health and Medical Education formed a three members committee after a student named Feroz Ahamd in the Health and Medical Education Department leveled charges of corruption against the institute. The government order number N0.355 – JK (HME) Of 2021 stated, “Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of Committee comprising Mohammad Rafiq, Director Finance, Health and Medical Education Department and Sabreena Kadir, Incharge Chief Accounts Officer, Government Medical College, Srinagar to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the complaint filed by one Feroz Ahmad S/o Ghulam Rasool R/o Chadoora, Budgam against the present-day working of SKIMS, Soura. The Committee shall submit its report by or before 12th May 2021. Firdous Ahmad Dar, Incharge Administrative Officer (Policy), SKIMS, Soura, shall assist the committee for making available the records, as may be required.”
As per the officials, issues ranging from procuring hospital furniture, medical equipment to recruitment are being probed by the committee. A case in point, the committee is probing an alleged fraud in the list of B Sc nursing that was issued by the institute last year.
Last year the B.Sc Nursing Aspirants protested against the institute alleging fraud in the selection list. The candidates alleged that most of the students who were selected by SKIMS scored 100% marks while the same students had appeared for the same entrance exams through BOPEE where they have not even scored 40%. “The delay in filing a report is obvious proof that top officials in SKIMS are trying to cover up the corruption and get away with it,” a candidate told Excelsior.
The SKIMS merit list for B.Sc Nursing and Technology Courses (Notification No: SIMS/ACAD/305 05/B.Sc/2020-9712-15 dated 23/12/2020) was issued on December 23 and the examination was held on November 17, 2020. Ironically, notification (No: SIMS/ACAD/20 of 2019 dated 19/12/2020) for holding of the examination was issued over a month after the examination was held.
Two days prior to the SKIMS list, the BOPEE issued a selection list (No: BOPEE/Exam-35 (110/2020 dated 18-12-2020) of over 1700 students for Nursing and Technology Courses that are being conducted in para-medical colleges across Jammu and Kashmir including Madr-e-Meharban College of Nursing, SKIMS Soura. Now with these two lists, there will be two batches in the SKIMS College for 2021.
SKIMS issued the list despite BOPEE being the only authority to make selections for professional courses in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, SKIMS was making a selection for Nursing and Technology Courses on its own but now there is a Common Entrance Tests for all colleges and colleges are allotted as per merit and the choice is given by students.
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