Despite colleges getting shut, amid India-Pak tensions, Chandigarh's GMCH-32 goes ahead with convocation
Despite the worsening tensions between India and Pakistan, the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 (GMCH-32), along with the Chandigarh Administration, will hold its 11th convocation on Saturday.
The decision comes even as schools and colleges will remain closed in the Tricity region on Friday and Saturday.
According to the official schedule of the event, Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, will be the chief guest and will deliver the address on the day of convocation.
The event will also see Rajeev Verma, chief secretary, Chandigarh; while Ajay Chagti, secretary, Medical Education and Research; and Harpreet Kaur Babla, Mayor, Chandigarh; will also attend the event.
The event will begin at 10.15 am and conclude at 12.20 pm.
Meanwhile, there is resentment among the faculty and staff of the institution for holding the convocation amid a tense environment. A faculty member of GMCH-32, on the condition of anonymity, said that few faculty members and staff had approached the senior authorities, for postponing the convocation.
According to sources, it is expected that the event will hold a gathering of nearly 250-300 people, including the whole faculty, students of the GMCH, and the alumni, in the college auditorium.
While the GMCH-32 authorities and the Chandigarh Administration are preparing for the event, which was confirmed by the director-principal and faculty of the institute, an alumni dinner planned on May 9, has been cancelled.
'Due to the evolving national security situation and in consideration of hospital preparedness at this time, it has been decided to cancel the alumni dinner planned for May 9. Refunds of contributions made toward the event will be processed in due course. Inconvenience caused is regretted,' a note on cancellation circulated among the alumni of the GMCH-32, by the GMCHAA executive body mentioned.
Meanwhile in view of the Indo-Pak tensions, the summer vacations of the GMCH-32 staff and faculty has also been postponed.
An order of medical superintendent, GMCH-32, issued on May 8 mentioned that 'as per discussion with director principal, it has been decided that in the present emergent scenario, the summer vacations may be postponed as the hospital services come under essential services maintenance act. In view of this, it is advised that faculty may not plan their vacations till the situation becomes peaceful and the vacations may be allowed in due course of time'.
The order also requested all the heads of the departments to sanction leaves to staff and faculty only in case of dire emergency. 'Similarly, station leave of any kind should also be discouraged as it is expected that in this situation of exigency, any official should be contactable during non-working hours and should be reporting to the hospital on the request by the authorities without any delay… This may be treated as most urgent for strict compliance by all employees of GMCH,' the order read.
The passed-out students of GMCH-32, who are to receive their degrees on the convocation, are coming from Shimla, Delhi, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh as many of them are currently employed in other states.
'These students who are also on their duties, have their station leaves cancelled from their concerned departments, so how will they come for the convocation? And with the situation worsening, who shall be held responsible, if any untoward incident takes place,' asked an official from GMCH-32.
Meanwhile, A K Attri, director-principal, GMCH, said that Union Minister Anupriya Patel has confirmed her presence as the chief guest at the convocation on May 10, which suggests that the the government has no objection to the convocation plan.
'The convocation is a very pious event, and with the grace of God, it will be held and go very smoothly. We have not kept any entertainment programme, considering the evolving situation in the country, and that's why we have cancelled the alumni dinner that was part of the event,' Attri said.
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