My dear colleagues,
This is regarding the MCI/Government determined to make forensic medicine and toxicology an elective/optional subject and removing the subject from undergraduate curriculum.
I am sharing my personal thoughts and opinion regarding this stand by the adhoc committee of MCI for which I think we need a collective stand from all our forensic fraternity as well as other professional colleagues, otherwise, shortly forensic teaching fraternity will become living fossils or history.
So kindly AWAKE, ARISE OR REACT OR ELSE PERISH.
First of all, it is not mere job security that is a concern because once an employee becomes permanent, after his/her probationary period, no college can terminate them easily. Any court of law will decide on the new rules/ordinances framed if it harms the employee should be prospective, any others which benefit the employee shall be retrospective. One example is pay scale revision which is delayed in this country, but when the revision occurs it is done along with the arrears.
So either a permanent private college or Government employee should not bother about his job security or promotions.
Say that this new proposed amendment is gazzetted and enacted, the repurcusions and consequences would be -
a. No scope for UG teaching
b. According to MCI, only one forensic specialist enough for the college for UG teaching
c. Therefore, no scope for any new post graduates to take up this subject. If any existing PGs do complete and come out, what is their future or job opportunity.
d. Existing forensic specialists will cease to exist in another 3 to 4 decades.
e. Who will carry out medicolegal work? A big chaos and unrest will be created among our own medical professionals. Law and order, judiciary will be jeopardized.
There are numerous reasons as to why this subject has to be retained in the UG curriculum, which we all know and need not highlighted to my brotherhood.
As far as medicolegal and post mortem work goes, MCI says that it is not concerned. They categorically remarked that these are required for Home and Law & Justice. So they should think and manage.
We are left nowhere like orphans/destitute wherein MCI says that we are not needed for them. Medical education department or colleges will naturally do not create any more job opportunities. Those who are already working, are looked down by our own colleagues.
Why will the home ministry or the law and justice department take care of a doctor who specializes in forensic medicine and toxicology.
Those who are in government service, will be retrenched or redisgnated as district medicolegal specialist and they may be redistributed throughout the districts of the state, making the teaching experience, knowledge, reputation and honor of a teacher null and void. What about the private institute teachers’ scope who exist in private teaching institutes?
What are the counter measures to tackle this issue?
1. Since MCI has told that it is for the department of home and law & justice to think and manage us. Let us all unite (not only government/private medical college forensic medicine and toxicology specialists but also medical officers of government service) boycott all medicolegal work including autopsies.
Thereby, we draw the attention of state government or state home ministry or union government or law & order, who may realize the importance of this subject and make the MCI rethink on its proposed amendments.
2. Let the respective state medicolegal societies call upon an emergency General Body Meeting, collect the views and opinions & ways to protest and restore the dignity of this subject, career and life of all those who depend on this.
3. Let the respective state medical college medicolegal teaching specialists boycott the classes give memorandums to universities/state/home ministry/honourable chief justice of high courts.
Irrespective of state government or private institute, senior or junior faculty members, we need to unite on a common platform and fight for justice and survival.
Dr.Ashwini Narayan
Govt. Medical College
Mandya, Karnataka
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