New promotion policy puts Bangladesh’s medical education in peril

The current policy that counts the length and not the quality of service as the most important prerequisite for promotion of doctors to professors in Bangladesh’s medical colleges has raised an alarm that medical education is backsliding.

In an attempt to fast-track appointments to vacancies, the government, in early 2012, introduced a system for promotion of doctors, barring professors, through the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) sidetracking the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The selection of professors has been left with the Superior Selection Board (SSB), an administrative body of senior secretaries that screens the public servants' service records, and then recommends them for promotion to higher positions in the civil service, including autonomous bodies.

Since medical education is highly technical and promotion hinges on publications and post-graduate degrees, the PSC, when it handled the process, used to get specialists on the subjects to interview each candidate.

Now, there is no provision for interview by subject specialists, and the SSB meeting recommends the elevation to professor based on the papers sent by the health ministry.

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim has acknowledged the fact, when approached by bdnews24.com. He also agrees that “subject specialists should be there in the promotion process”.

But he says “it’s a matter of public administration” when asked whether he would act to set new policies.

Director General for Health Services Prof Deen Mohammad Noorul Haque concurs with the minister. “At least two subject specialists should be there in each board for proper judgement,” he adds.

“Our senior secretaries will definitely lead the process, but one should face an interview with the senior professors to become a professor,” he told bdnews24.com.

He, however, says they have no plan to make any policy “right now”.

So far, the SSB has recommended one group to be made professors.  bdnews24.com has seen a new list that is going to be placed before the SSB meeting by the health ministry.

It shows that the length of service received the priority, not the number of publications, teaching experience, post-graduate degree and seniority in the feeder category post - which is associate professor - for promotion as a professor.

Public Administration Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, who also sits in the SSB, points out that they only follow the government guidelines.

“This is the highest board of the government headed by the cabinet secretary. They (secretaries) sit there with experience. There is no scope of subject specialists sitting on the board,” he said.

The relevant ministries “send the list after checking with their experts”, he said.

But doctors say, in the SSB meeting the service duration gets precedence for promotion, a system followed to elevate bureaucrats, which means a doctor’s academic excellence has taken a backseat.

But there are instances, says one government professor preferring anonymity, that during the PSC regime “one who joined government service three years after I did became professor before me because he had enough publications and he did his post-graduation early and he passed the interview of the subject specialists”.

Another professor in a government hospital said the government can form a special board with experts who will be tasked with administering exams round the year and recommending eligible candidates for promotion.

“There will be certain criteria. Both public and private teachers will apply to that board when they feel they meet the criteria. Then the board will call and interview them and give them a certificate.

“Based on that certificate, the ministry will promote and post them,” the professor suggested. “This will also expedite the whole promotion process”.

A senior professor of surgery, Dr Rashid-e-Mahbub, has told bdnews24.com that “the quality will definitely come under question in the current system”.

The former Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) leader said as the SSB recommends ‘promotion’ of associate professors to professors, they prioritise the time of their joining service.

“But in the case of medical education, you need to think differently. It’s like recruitment.

“You have 10 associate professors, but you need two professors. So what you will do? You will advertise and interview them and select the most competent ones.”

“There is a standard protocol as to who can be professors in medical colleges.”

Prof Mahbub said under the current system, “politically loyal doctors are getting benefits”.