SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, August 5: For a change, the post of principal of Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad has not played a musical chair.
It was considered a record by the medical fraternity in Jharkhand where key position holders face frequent transfers.
Dr Jyotiranjan Prasad completed five years as principal on Monday, a feat only two of his colleagues have completed since Jharkhand was created in 2000.
No wonder, faculty members and staff of SNMMCH celebrated the occasion and felicitated Dr Jyotiranjan Prasad on Monday.
Dr Jyotiranjan Prasad was appointed the principal of Medinirai Medical College Hospital (MMCH) Palamu in 2019 and transferred to SNMMCH Dhanbad as principal in 2021.
Dr Prasad joins elite club of principals
Earlier, Dr SK Singh, principal of Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) Hazaribagh, also completed five years in office.
Dr SK Singh, principal of SBMCH Hazaribagh has got the credit for serving five years in a single institution besides discharging additional responsibility of Director in-chief, Medical Education wing of the state health department.
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Highest serving record
However, after the creation of a separate state, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur’s former principal Dr AN Mishra has the record of the highest serving principal.
He became principal first time in 2007. In 2010, he became a regular principal after an interview. But three and half years later in 2013, he was removed by the government.
SNMMCH Dhanbad
After the creation of Jharkhand state, no principal has been allowed to complete five years. Prof (Dr) Arun Kumar Choudhary ( present principal of Dumka Medical College) has the highest record of serving for three and half years. In 2013, he became the first regular principal but was removed in 2013. His predecessors, Dr B Das, the late Dr Geeta Verma, Dr SN Barolia and his successor did not complete 3 years.
Prof (Dr) Shailendra Kumar also served four years as principal (two years in PMCH ( now SNMMCH) in Dhanbad and two years in Palamu Medical College where he retired last year.
Dr Jyotiranjan Prasad regains 100 MBBS seats
Prof (Dr) Jyotiranjan Prasad, who has additional charge of the superintendent, has earned the credit for regaining 100 MBBS seats in the college and launching postgraduate (PG) courses in his three-year tenure.
SNMMCH had been trying hard for the PG course since 2013 but first, the Medical Council of India (MCI) and later the National Medical Commission (NMC) refused it.
However, this year Dr Jyotiranjan Prasad convinced NMC and got permission in two subjects (medicines-6 seats) and orthopaedics (3 seats).
Earlier in the 2022-23 academic sessions, he regained 100 MBBS seats permission from NMC. In 2017, the then MCI had reduced 50 MBBS seats due to heavy deficiencies.
