Srinagar, Aug 22 (KNO): The Coordinating Committee representing non-gazetted employees of the five newly established Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) of Jammu and Kashmir has decided to temporarily suspend its ongoing peaceful protest following the intervention and written assurance of Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo that the final Model Recruitment Rules for non-gazetted employees will be framed and published by September 30, 2026.
The decision comes after nearly a week of agitation by employees, who had launched their indefinite peaceful protest on August 17, seeking finalisation of recruitment rules governing their service conditions, recruitment, promotions and other related matters.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the employees welcomed the framing process of the final Model Recruitment Rules and said they were suspending the protest in the larger interest of patients, students, medical education and uninterrupted healthcare services.
The issue came up for detailed discussion after Health Minister Sakina Itoo invited representatives of non-gazetted employees of the five new GMCs for a meeting on August 20. The meeting, chaired by the Health Minister on August 21, was attended by senior officials, including the Commissioner Secretary, ARI & Trainings; Additional Secretary, Health and Medical Education; Director Finance, HME; Under Secretary, HME; and representatives of the concerned Government Medical Colleges.
During the meeting, the minister directed the concerned authorities to finalise and publish a Model Recruitment Rule applicable uniformly to all the newly established Government Medical Colleges.
According to the Coordinating Committee, the minister assured the employees that the process would be completed by September 30, 2026, providing a definite timeline for resolving the long-pending issue.
Following the assurance, the Coordinating Committee held discussions with representatives of employees from all five newly established GMCs and decided to suspend the protest temporarily until the stipulated deadline.
The committee said the decision had been taken in good faith and keeping in view the larger public interest, particularly the need to ensure that patient care, medical education and essential healthcare services at the institutions remain unaffected.
Among the key issues the employees expect to be addressed through the final rules are the existence of multiple nomenclatures for similar posts, lack of a clearly defined hierarchy, delays in convening Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) and the demand for notional benefits for the seven years of service rendered by employees.
The committee maintained that a comprehensive and uniform framework would not only provide clarity to employees but also help streamline the functioning and administrative structure of the newly established medical colleges.
The Coordinating Committee also acknowledged the support and cooperation extended by employees, students, patients and members of the general public during the period of the peaceful protest.
It particularly expressed gratitude to the Medical Faculty Forum, Government Medical College Rajouri.
While announcing the temporary suspension of the protest, the employees made it clear that the issue has not been closed permanently and that they would closely monitor the progress made by the Health and Medical Education Department.
It further stated that any breach of the trust placed by employees in the assurance given by the Health Minister, or any resultant disruption in patient care and medical education due to failure to finalise the rules within the assured timeframe, would be the responsibility of the Health and Medical Education Department.
The Coordinating Committee expressed hope that the assurance given by the Health Minister would be honoured in letter and spirit and that the final Model Recruitment Rules would be notified within the stipulated timeframe—(KNO)