KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
In a bizarre kind of ‘treachery’ and ‘deceit’, authorities in Medical and Health Education department have been running a ‘tuck shop’ in the name of a government AMT training school for Paramedics in Baramulla.
The students here in this school have been granted admission to ECG course without registration and then told to appear in the exams for another stream instead, after being kept waiting for their first year examinations for two long years. They have been allegedly kept in dark and not told about the ‘registration’ issue until the commencement of examinations on Sunday.
Sources in the establishment told KNS that the School has granted admission to students for an ‘unregistered’ ECG course besides keeping them waiting for two long years to appear in the first year exams of a two year duration course and that too without having devised any syllabus for the same.
Students in the School said that the School management has also ‘allegedly’ forced them to sit in the X-ray exams instead of ECG and promised that no one would be failed which has created doubt in their minds about the credibility of the school.
“When we chose ECG two years back, and studied the same for the entire period, how come we would be best in X-ray when we haven’t even attended a single class of that course,” asked students, alleging that School management was hell bent to ruin their future to save their own skin.
Sources said that the authorities in the government AMT School Baramulla had invited applications for the admission in various paramedical courses in year 2014 which included two year courses in various paramedical courses for the session 2014-15.
Barring FMPHW, all other courses were a two year programme and supposed to finish by March 2016 as per the advertisement notice issued by the then Medical superintendent of the Baramulla district hospital who was also the principal of the school.
“Applications are invited on the prescribed pro-forma for undergoing various Para Medical training courses at AMT School Baramulla for the session 2014-15. The eligible candidates should submit their applications complete in all respects on or before 22/03/2014 to the office of the undersigned along with attested copies of the certificates and self-addressed postal envelops affixed with stamp of Rs. 5/-.
The forms shall be obtained from the office of the undersigned against the cash payment of Rs.50/- up to 18/03/2014 up to 2.00 PM.” reads the advertisement of the Medical Superintendent of DH Baramulla published in a leading daily newspaper on 07-03-2014.
According to the advertisement the courses that were offered included FMPHW, Medical Assistant, X-Ray Assistant, Lab Assistant, Ophthalmic Assistant, Dental Assistant, and O T Technician Anaesthesia Technician and ECG Technician.
Subsequently, a selection list of more than 100 students was prepared and published in newspapers after which the formal class began in April-May 2014.
The misery and the uncertainty for the students began from there. Students said that as per the advertisement they were to sit in the first year exams in the month of March 2015 but that didn’t happen and they were told to shut their mouth and continue helping the staff at District hospital Baramulla.
The most ‘startling and worst kept secret’, however, according to them came to fore only a few days back when the ECG students were told that their course was not registered and they have to appear for the X-Ray exams.
The students alleged that during the two long years the administration remained silent about the same and even continued to conduct separate classes for ECG. “This has come as a shock for all of us. They advertised the course, issued a separate list for ECG, completed admission formalities, issued class roll numbers and I-Cards, conducted separate classes for two long years, sent us to hospital for practice and now they are telling us, this was all without any approval or registration.”
“The authorities have not only ruined their future but also wasted their precious two long years for nothing. They have robbed and ruined us by treachery and deceit. When government institutions resort to such practices how can you put a check on private institutions,” asked an aggrieved ECG student who added that they are being forced to sit in X-ray exams that began from Sunday.
Meanwhile, the parents of the students said that they will not let the authorities hoodwink their children and get away with the ‘deceit’ and will seek intervention of Chief Minster Ms Mehbooba Mufti to get justice.
Chief Medical Officer Baramulla Bashir Ahmad Chalkoo said that the allegations were true but said the matter has been referred to higher authorities for a consideration.
He, however, added that applications for admission were invited only after an administrative letter that included ECG besides other courses came to his office.
“Yes, this is true that these students have been told to sit in the X-ray exams. But we did the admission only after receiving an administrative letter for the same. Probably the Para medial council has taken an objection to it off late, which has created some problems. But we have referred the matter to higher authorities for a consideration.” Chalkoo said.
The Principal Government Medical College Dr Kaisar Ahmad however, insisted that the students have to appear in the ‘X-ray’ exams instead of the ECG they were given admission in, and said the ‘solution’ has been found.
“Look during the first year, the syllabus is same for both, so they don’t have to worry. Let them sit in the X-ray exams and then in the second year this will be taken care of. We have found a solution,” Dr Kaisar said while admitting that there was no syllabus for ECG and was not even worked out since the time of admission.
