As the government has begun search for new director SKIMS, employees in premier institute and people at large appealed to the search committee and chief minister to appoint an able medico who can run the tertiary care without getting into controversies. The five year tenure of present Director SKIMS Dr. Showkat Ali Zargar comes to end on June 2 this year.As per Govt Order No. SIMS Per/543/16-2424-33, dated 3 May 2016 Dr Zargar shall attain retirement on superannuation from Govt services on 2 June 2016, approval of Chief Minister conveyed Vide No. GAD (Admn) 166/2014 dated 27 April 2016.Accordingly an Advertisement Notice was issued by Secretary to Govt. Health & Medical Education Department, vide No: ME/NG/71/2016/SKIMS, dated 5 April 2016, inviting applications from eligible candidates for the position of Director SKIMS. The last date for submitting applications is 16 May, 2016.
Official sources told KNS that Health & Medical Education Department has received nearly two dozen applications, and most of the applicants are from SKIMS. Only three applicants from outside SKIMS have applied for the vital post, sources said.Sources said that out of two dozen candidates, it is believed that only few candidates are considered potential for the coveted job.Among the prominent candidates, there are few names doing the rounds including Prof. Dilip Kakru (HOD Microbiology), Dr. Khurshid Alam (HOD Gen Surgery), Prof. S. A. Tabish (Hospital Administration), Dr. Omar Javed (HOD Surgical Gastroenterology), Prof. Altaf Ramzan (HOD Neurosurgery) and Dr. Ab Gani Ahangar (presently on deputation to IGIHME, Guahati, Assam).Vide OM No. GAD(Admn) 166/214-V dated 29-3-2016 chairman Governing Body, who is the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, constituted a Selection Committee comprising Chief Secretary (chairman), Dr. Mishra (Director AIIMS, New Delhi), Dr. Chawla, (Director PGI Chandigarh), Dr. Nagpal (founder Director SKIMS), Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr. Bandhari (Member Secretary).
The process may be completed before the retirement of the present Director, the order mentions.
Employees in the institute told KNS that the chief minister with the help of search committee should give preference to merit of the candidate.“To run SKIMS, a director should have excellent academic record, experience in research, administrative capability and vision to administer such a complex premier medical institute,” said a senior employee in the institute.As per Advertisement Notice, “The selection committee shall, after receiving the applications/recommendations examine the bio-data and other record of the candidates that may be available and assess each case on the basis of criteria: academic qualifications, teaching experience, research experience, practical and administrative experience. After assessing the candidate, the selection committee may call such candidate as it may deem necessary for a personal interaction to make further assessment of the candidate. The selection committee shall after completing the process of assessment prepares a panel of three candidates in order of merit which will be placed before the Governing Body for making selection for the post of Director.”
Chairman Governing Body SKIMS (Chief Minister) shall be the appointing authority.“We need a right person to hold the job to affect major changes to bring SKIMS at par with top institutions of the country and also look into the reasons of inefficiency and poor performance of this prestigious hospital cum deemed university and shall correct the visible wrongs first,” said a group of employees. “This needs a capable and competent administrator with nerves of steel to take this challenge and huge responsibility,” they said. (KNS)