Jharkhand High Court Orders RIMS to Begin Recruitment Within Four Weeks

Ranchi- The Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government and Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, to start the recruitment process for vacant doctor and health official positions within four weeks.

The directive came from a division bench of Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar, during the hearing of a PIL highlighting staff shortages and equipment mismanagement at the state’s premier hospital.

This was the second day of hearings. On Tuesday, the court had summoned the Health Secretary and RIMS Director to appear in person, which they did on Wednesday.

The bench questioned why funds released to RIMS were not properly used, and why there was no monitoring system to ensure accountability.

In response, the Health Secretary stated that RIMS is an autonomous body, and fund usage is decided by its steering committee.

The court asked RIMS Director Dr. Raj Kumar to explain how much funding was received, what equipment was purchased, how much money was returned, and why critical machines like MRI scanners had not been procured. He must submit a detailed affidavit and appear again in court on Thursday.

The court also raised concerns about doctors receiving a non-practising allowance (NPA) while still engaging in private practice. Biometric attendance data and information on action taken were sought.

The PIL was filed by Jyoti Sharma, who raised concerns about vacant positions and lack of essential medical equipment at RIMS, affecting patient care.

With inputs from IANS