Who will be the next GMC Principal?

Srinagar, Feb 15: Jammu and Kashmir government has set the ball rolling for the selection of next principal of Government Medical College, Srinagar.
An official in Government Medical College, Srinagar said that the process for appointing new principal for the medical college will be completed within a month as Professor Parvez Ahmad Shah’s term is ending on February 28.
The official said six candidates are being considered for the post. They include Dr Parvez Ahmad Shah, Dr Samia Rashid, Dr Showkat Jeelani, Dr Tanveer Masood and Dr Tariq Qureshi. Though Dr Parvez’s term is ending, he is being considered for the extension.
Principal Secretary to Government, health and medical education department, Atal Dulloo said the establishment cum selection committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam.
“We have written to the committee to start the process of appointing new principal. It is expected to start soon,” he said.
Dulloo said the selection would be made on the basis of merit-cum-seniority. “Principal is a selection post and both merit and seniority are to be taken into consideration,” he said.
Dr Parvaiz Shah has done his MBBS and MD from GMC Srinagar. After completing his DM neurology from PGI Chandigarh he joined GMC as a faculty member and became head of medicine department.
Dr Samia Rashid, a well-known physician joined the GMC faculty in 1993 as Assistant Professor and is considered as one of the fine teachers. Earlier she had a brief stint as Principal of GMC. If she is appointed, she will be the third woman Principal after Girija Dhar and Shahida Mir.
Dr Showkat Jeelani, professor and head, department of surgery at Government Medical College (Srinagar), is presently in-charge of Government Medical College Anantnag.
Dr Tanveer Masood is Professor of Medicine at Government Medical College, Srinagar. He has been a non-controversial figure and mostly remained academically inclined.
Dr Tariq Qureshi heads the department of ophthalmology at the Medical College. He has been pivotal in improving the facilities for optho-care in the valley, major among them being addition of vitreo-retinal unit to the hospital. During 2016 unrest, he played an instrumental role in attending to scores of patients needing eye care.
Last year in March, government assigned the charge of Government Medical College to Dr Parvez Ahmad Shah after High Court quashed the appointment of Prof Samia Rashid as principal Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar.