Srinagar, Sept 11: Non-gazetted staff of the newly established Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday expressed resentment against the Draft Subordinate Service Recruitment Rules, calling it “discriminatory, arbitrary, and biased”.
Nursing officers from GMC Anantnag said the draft rules unfairly mandate seven years of qualifying service for every promotion in the nursing hierarchy, compared to just three years in GMC Jammu, GMC Srinagar, and SKIMS Soura.
“This discriminatory provision unfairly penalises a cadre that performs round-the-clock patient care duties. Such treatment is unjustified, demoralising, and requires immediate rectification,” the officers said in their representation to the government.
They added that the draft also ignores earlier Government Order No. 556-JK(GAD) of 2021, which had fixed five years of service for promotion from Pay Level 4 to Pay Level 6.
The cadre opposed the merger of the CSSD Nursing unit with the General Nursing Department, arguing that it would eliminate promotion avenues for junior nurses.
Further concerns include the downgrading of the Matron post to Assistant Matron, instead of creating more senior-level positions.
Similarly, nursing staff have demanded a proportional increase in supervisory roles, suggesting four Matrons, eight Assistant Matrons, and 12 Nursing Supervisors for the associated hospitals.
They criticised the draft for failing to standardise nomenclature in line with Indian Nursing Council and MoHFW guidelines, pointing out that despite repeated representations, the change from “Staff Nurse” to “Nursing Officer” has not been implemented.
On pay structure, they highlighted a glaring disparity with the rest of India. “While entry-level nurses in other States start at Pay Level 7, in J&K even the highest nursing posts don’t cross Level 7, despite the same qualifications,” they said, seeking revision as per national norms.
The draft has also disappointed the Photography Unit and Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS). Photography staff pointed out that no promotional avenues have been created, with the post of Senior Photographer missing from the hierarchy.
They highlighted a serious anomaly: “Recently, Jammu subordinate rules were framed where Junior Photographer and Artist have been placed at Pay Level 6. But for the new five GMCs, these posts have been kept at Level 4, which is discrimination against us,” they said.
Employees from the technical section have also alleged bias. “It looks like the administration has only drafted rules for storekeepers and computer operators while ignoring technicians,” said one employee.
Store keepers-cum-computer operators have been given a clear promotion ladder—from Level 2 to Level 4, with scope to reach Level 6—whereas dental technicians, theatre technicians, CSSD technicians, and technical assistants have not only been ignored but downgraded from technicians to assistants, the nursing staff said.
“This is totally unfair drafting. A GMC is not only run by computer operators and storekeepers. Technicians play an equally vital role in hospital functioning, and sidelining them amounts to step-motherly treatment,” another employee said.
Overall, staff across cadres say the draft has shattered their hopes, offering neither uniformity with GMC Jammu/Srinagar nor fair career progression.
They urged the government and the Health and Medical Education Department to reconsider the draft, ensure uniform service rules, provide equal promotional avenues, revise pay structures, and adopt national standards in nomenclature and cadre hierarchy.
