Jharkhand Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi. File picture
Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly Babulal Marandi on Thursday (September 3, 2026) wrote to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, drawing his attention to alleged errors and negligence of National Medical Commission (NMC)-mandated rules in the advertisement published for the appointment of the Director at Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS).
Offering some suggestions, he demanded the immediate cancellation of the advertisement and also urged that the new recruitment rules formulated by the Health Department for the position be scrapped and a fresh advertisement be issued in accordance with the criteria prescribed by the NMC.
He pointed out that there were serious errors in the advertisement published on August 26, 2026, for the appointment of the Director at RINPAS, a long-standing and prestigious State institution.
“You are aware that operations at this institute have been managed by an ‘Incharge Director’ for several years. This has led to difficulties in the smooth, organised, and efficient functioning of the institute, as an Incharge Director often lacks the authority to make critical decisions, particularly those concerning financial matters,” Mr. Marandi wrote.
He added that to address this issue, the Jharkhand Health Department published an advertisement for the permanent appointment of a Director; however, the advertisement contained two errors.
Mr. Marandi explained that the advertisement failed to specify the required educational qualifications or eligibility criteria for the post of Director, a fundamental requirement for any appointment. He termed it a major error while attaching a photocopy of the advertisement along with the letter.
The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader further wrote that appointments to positions such as Director, Dean or Superintendent must comply with the qualifications, rules and conditions prescribed by the NMC, in accordance with the law enacted by the Parliament of India.
“It is explicitly stated that only individuals with a background in ‘Medical Faculty’ are eligible for appointment to these posts. This is clearly outlined in Paragraph 5 of the NMC-notified gazette, a copy of which is attached for your perusal,” Mr. Marandi wrote.
He further explained that despite this, the Health Department issued a notification on October 14, 2024, establishing a separate set of rules for the appointment of the Director at RINPAS.
“This notification included the non-medical faculty for the Director’s post – a move that is not only impractical and inappropriate but also entirely contrary to the rules and regulations established by the NMC,” Mr. Marandi wrote.
He alleged that the rules framed by the State government appeared to have been intended to serve vested interests by facilitating the selection of a non-medical faculty member for the post.
Mr. Marandi advised that the head of a medical institution should be an experienced and senior medical practitioner. “I do not know whether you have been apprised of this impractical and inappropriate decision taken by the Health Department; however, it is evident that preparations are underway to appoint a favoured non-medical official as Director, thereby paving the way for the exploitation of the institute, “ he added.
He pointed out that the selection should ensure a qualified, competent and honest officer from the medical cadre who possesses administrative acumen. He asserted that this would uphold the institute’s dignity and ensure better medical facilities for patients.
Published – September 04, 2026 04:20 am IST
