Latest news with #RGKar
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Posting change of RG Kar protesters a step back: Docs
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: The progress in the medical education system, achieved by making the system transparent and clean, was being marred by the controversy over the last-minute changes in the bond posting of three senior resident doctors, felt many in the fraternity. The three junior doctors—Debashis Halder, Aniket Mahata and Asfakulla Naiya —prominent faces of the RG Kar movement following the rape and murder of a PGT doctor in 2024, received their senior resident postings in hospitals different from those allotted to them during counselling. The postings are assigned based on candidates' ranks on merit lists. During the RG Kar movement, the state constituted a state-level grievance redress cell (SLGRC) to receive complaints from medical students and faculties to help the govt solve different issues. Corrupt exam practices being a complaint voiced by many, the cell enforced a clean exam system. "This is the first time in many years that we saw such a fair examination and a clean evaluation system. These three junior doctors scaled through that system. When they bagged those hospitals at counselling, why deny them now?" said a faculty member attached to MCH. SLGRC chairman Sourav Datta, a head and neck onco-surgeon, said if the change in postings was for only those three, it was unfair. "The govt has taken a series of confidence-building measures and positive steps. This incident could pose a barrier to these measures," said Datta. Infectious diseases associate professor Yogiraj Ray, a key member of the SLGRC, also termed the posting change 'aberrant'. "If there is a counselling procedure, the SRs should get the place of posting allocated to them during the counselling. This is the norm followed everywhere," said Ray. Mahata, Naiya and Halder have taken their grievance to state health officials. They said they would explore legal options if a solution did not emerge. "We are hopeful the state will heed our grievances and give us back our original postings, allocated to us during counselling," said anaesthesia specialist Mahata. They also pointed out this was not a case of transfer of govt employees as they were not yet employees. It was a case of following the counselling procedure according to their merit, they said.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Witch-hunt, claim RG Kar doctors as some get 'punishment' jobs
Photo/Agencies KOLKATA: Three senior resident (SR) doctors who were the prominent faces of the RG Kar movement have allegedly been given 'punishment' postings in Bengal, sparking a row. A large section of the medical community has accused the Mamata Banerjee government of 'witch-hunting' by flouting the counselling process, while TMC said it can't allow the protesters to cash in on the movement. On Tuesday, junior doctors went to seek clarification from officials in Kolkata. Denied the audience, they said they will protest against the 'injustice'. Senior doctors' bodies like Association of Health Service Doctors, Service Doctors Forum and Medical Service Centre have come forward to support them. Health officials refused to comment. According to norms, all PG medical students must serve a bond posting for three years after completing the course. The final year PG results were published on Feb 28 and the counselling was completed on April 8. During counselling, the PG doctors are allocated places of posting according to the merit list and vacancies. After the counselling, candidates are made to sign an undertaking that the option they choose is final and they will not ask for a change in the future. "According to my ranking and the vacancy list, I opted for RG Kar during counselling. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Now, when the final list has come, I find that I have been posted to Raiganj Medical College. This is vendetta," said Aniket Makata, who completed his PG in anaesthesia from RG Kar. Sources said all 871 junior doctors on the list of the SR bond posting published on Tuesday were allotted postings as per the counselling, except Aniket Mahata, Asfakulla Naiya, both from RG Kar, and Debashis Halder of MCH. "The reason is our participation in RG Kar protests. The move is also destroying the sanctity of the counselling process, introduced two years ago to make it transparent," said Naiya. He had opted for Arambag Medical College but got his posting at Purulia Medical College as per the list. According to the rules, the doctors after completing PG need to serve a medical college for a year on bond, and for the next two years, they can be posted either in a district hospital or a sub-divisional hospital. According to Halder, he opted for Howrah District Hospital as he completed his one year of posting at Regional Institute of Ophthalmology. But he has been asked to go to Gajol sub-divisional hospital.
Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bengal CPIM seeks to float ‘alternative schools', tuition centres, health camps ahead of 2026 Assembly polls
In its first letter of the year to its ranks, the CPIM has called for the formation of grassroots-level 'alternative' schools, tuition centres, and health camps to reach out to the people of West Bengal. Named 'Mission 360', the party's directive was made with determination to make significant gains in the upcoming 2026 Assembly polls. However, some leaders feels the party is also placing emphasis on rebuilding its credibility through these initiatives. In its first organisational message of 2025, called the 'party chithi', the West Bengal CPIM stated, 'The struggle to present alternatives is very relevant in the present time.' The party has instructed its cadre to establish at least two fully functional teaching centres in every district of the state. The message noted that party-affiliated teachers, professors and older students in higher education can be involved in the initiative. Similarly, the party has directed that health centres be set up in every area committee, where medical advice and medicines can be provided at reasonable prices. These centres can involve local doctors, nurses, medical representatives, Red Volunteers, student and youth front workers, and various other organisations. The party chithi further instructed every district committee to launch such initiatives and submit reports by August this year. Beyond these social initiatives, the CPIM's message stressed that the 2026 assembly election is a crucial 'political struggle' and must not be neglected. The party has mandated the formation of permanent organisational structures and members at every booth. It instructed that committees be formed at every booth across the state by June 30. The memo also read, 'Individual campaigns on social media should be stopped. Party members expressing personal opinions – especially when they contradict party decisions – must refrain from doing so. Social media must not be used for inner-party struggles.' A senior CPIM leader said, 'The party has not only lost vote shares but also its support base across the state. This decline happened because we lost social credibility. Regaining that credibility will automatically bring votes.' He added, 'In the past, we gained workers and activists through various movements, but we failed to integrate them into the party structure. After the RG Kar movement, many from the broader society joined us, and we must now involve them in future movements to strengthen the party.' CPIM state secretary and politburo member Md Salim said, 'We are not challenging the public health or education systems. However, it is true that both sectors in our state have serious gaps. Because of these gaps, the working class is suffering – they go to other states or spend large amounts of money on healthcare and education. We want to bridge that gap and help the poorer sections of society.' He added, 'Our Red Volunteers did commendable work during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are engaging them and similar forces in these alternative health and education systems. (The project is) named Mission 360 because it is a project through which the party will intervene in all sectors of society to help the people.' Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
State appoints full-time DME after eight months
Kolkata: The state health department has appointed a full-time director of medical education after close to eight months. Indrajit Saha, the principal of North Bengal Medical College, was appointed as the new DME via an official order on Thursday. Aniruddha Neogi, OSD and special secretary, was officiating as the DME after the govt transferred former DME Kaustav Nayek on Sept 17, as demanded by junior doctors during the RG Kar agitation. Nayek is now the director at the Institute of Health and Family said that Saha is the most senior in terms of administrative experience among all the applicants for this post. While around 13 applied, including two principals of medical colleges in Kolkata, the panel chose Saha due to his seniority, sources said. The appointment procedure, however, took unusually longer, and sources said this was to avoid any unnecessary controversy from any quarter. Saha is likely to take charge in the next two to three April 21, the govt officially appointed Swapen Saren as director of health services. Saren was officiating as the DHS since the removal of the previous DHS, Debashis Halder, who took charge only a couple of days before the RG Kar rape-murder.
NDTV
04-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Bengal ISC Topper Drops Her Surname, Says 'Humanism' Only Religion
Kolkata: Srijani, the ISC topper from West Bengal who scored a perfect 400 out of 400, chose not to retain her surname when filing her examination form saying the decision stemmed from her belief in a society free from distinctions based on caste, creed, religion and gender. The student of Future Foundation School in South Kolkata achieved a flawless 100 in all her subjects. Despite the intense academic schedule, she found time to participate in the Women Reclaim the Night movement on August 14, following the rape-murder of an RG Kar medical student. "As an individual, it was my decision - supported by my parents and sister. I believe in a society rising above divisions in caste, gender and religion, and beyond economic status. For me, a surname doesn't matter. I've always been known by my first name to my friends and loved ones. Why carry the baggage of a surname? I'm lucky to have the full support of my family," Srijani, the Ranikuthi resident in the city's Tollygunge area told PTI on Saturday. Her father Debashis Goswami, an Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) professor and a Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardee, and mother Gopa Mukherjee, assistant professor of Gurudas College, were doubly proud for their daughter's feat as well as her principles and values. "Both my daughters uphold the values and beliefs we inculcated in them since birth. I myself don't use my husband's surname. When we applied for our daughters' birth certificates, we didn't include any surname. We envision a society free from the prejudices of patriarchy and chauvinism," Ms Mukherjee said. Ms Mukherjee, along with both her daughters, actively participated repeatedly during the R G Kar protests. "For me, walking with thousands of fellow citizens seeking justice for the RG Kar victim never conflicted with academic preparations," she said. Srijani, who aspires to pursue research in pure science like her father, said she never saw herself as the typical studious type. "Beyond study hours, I'd always find time for adda with my parents, sister and close friends," she said. When asked about her stance on religion, she added, "I wrote 'Humanism' in the slot for religion on the application form." An official from Future Foundation, Regent Park, noted, "We have no issue if a candidate wishes to opt out of a surname. This is perfectly within the law." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
