In a major step towards strengthening the state’s healthcare system, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday approved filling up of 153 vacant sanctioned direct quota posts of 42 professors, 46 associate professors and 65 assistant professors in the Government Medical Colleges at Amritsar and Patiala.The vacancies would be filled up by the departmental selection committee headed by former Director PGIMER, Chandigarh Dr. KK Talwar. This will be done under the Punjab Medical Education (Group-A) Service Rules, 2016 after taking these posts out of the purview of the Punjab Public Service Commission.According to an official spokesperson, the selection committee which was constituted on April 22, 2016 under the chairmanship of Advisor to Health & Medical Education, Punjab, Dr. KK Talwar, has now been allowed to continue for another three years, with effect from April 22, 2019.The panel’s strength has also been increased. Earlier, the selection committee had seven members, in addition to the Chairman, including Vice Chancellor Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, Secretary Medical Education & Research, Director PGIMER or his representative, Director Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai or his representative (for treatment of cancer related specialties only) and two members of concerned subject of institutions like AIIMS/PGIMER/TMC. Apart from these, Director Research & Medical Education Punjab was the member secretary of the committee. Now, a representative from the department of Welfare Punjab has also included as a member, taking the committee’s strength to eight.The entire staff strength was reviewed by Dr. KK Talwar Committee, which proposed restructuring. A total of 46 direct quota posts were created, on account of proposed super-specialty departments, enhancement in MBBS seats and increase in bed strength in two hospitals. Consequently, the Medical Education & Research was allowed to fill up these 153 posts by the Talwar Committee.The Committee also recommended that since it was unlikely that all the posts would be filled up in one attempt, the Department of Medical Education & Research may therefore be allowed to make repeated attempts till these posts were filled up. It was further recommended by the committee that vacancies arising in future on account of retirement may be allowed to be filled up without approaching the Finance Department and Officers Committee for their approval.