Marandi marks violation of NMC rules in appointing director of RINPAS

Jharkhand opposition leader Babulal Marandi. Image file

Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Babulal Marandi on Thursday (September 3, 2026) wrote to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, drawing his attention to the alleged errors and negligence of the rules laid down by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in the advertisement published for the appointment of the Director of the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS).

With some suggestions, he demanded the immediate cancellation of the advertisement and also urged that the new recruitment rules formulated by the health ministry for the post should be withdrawn and a fresh advertisement issued as per the criteria prescribed by the NMC.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 a director in RINPAS, a long-standing and prestigious state institution.

“You are aware that operations at this institute have been managed by a ‘Director-in-Charge’ for several years. This has led to difficulties in the smooth, organized and efficient functioning of the institute as the Director-in-Charge often lacks the authority to make critical decisions, especially those related to financial matters,” Mr Marandi wrote.

He added that to address this problem, the Jharkhand Health Department has issued an advertisement for the permanent appointment of Director; however, the ad contained two errors.

Mr. Marandi explained that the advertisement did not specify the required education or eligibility criteria for the position of director, which is a basic requirement for any appointment. He called it a major mistake when he attached a photocopy of the advertisement to the letter.

The leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) further wrote that appointments to posts such as principal, dean or superintendent must meet the qualifications, rules and conditions prescribed by the NMC as per the law passed by the Parliament of India.

“It is expressly stated that only individuals with a ‘medical faculty’ background are eligible for appointment to these posts. This is clearly stated in para 5 of the NMC-notified gazette, a copy of which is attached for perusal,” Mr Marandi wrote.

He further explained that despite this, the Ministry of Health issued a notification on October 14, 2024 laying down a separate set of rules for the appointment of the director in RINPAS.

“This notification included a non-medical faculty in the post of director – a move which is not only impractical and inappropriate but also completely against the rules and regulations laid down by the NMC,” Mr Marandi wrote.

He argued that the rules laid down by the state government appeared to be intended to serve its own interests by facilitating the selection of a non-medical faculty member for the post.

Mr Marandi advised that the head of the health facility should be an experienced and senior doctor. “I don’t know if you have been made aware of this impractical and inappropriate decision by the Ministry of Health, but it is evident that preparations are underway to appoint a favored non-medical official as director, paving the way for the exploitation of the institute,” he added.

He emphasized that the selection should ensure a qualified, competent and honest officer from the medical cadre who has administrative skills. He claimed that this would preserve the dignity of the institution and ensure better medical facilities for patients.

Published – 04 Sep 2026 04:20 IST