Non-gazetted employees of GMC Bla protest, seek recruitment rules

Baramulla, Aug 9: The Non-gazetted employees of Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla Saturday staged a peaceful protest, voicing their growing frustration over the government’s delay in framing recruitment and service rules for their cadre.
The protesting employees, recruited between 2019 and 2020 as part of the expansion of new medical colleges across Jammu & Kashmir, said they have been working without clear service guidelines for nearly five years.
Despite repeated written representations and reminders to the concerned authorities, they claim there has been “no concrete action” towards formalising the rules that would govern their service conditions, promotions and career progression.
Wearing black bands and holding placards, the employees gathered within the GMC Baramulla premises, maintaining discipline and peaceful conduct throughout the demonstration.
The protestors said the lack of recruitment rules has left them in a state of uncertainty, affecting not only their morale but also their future prospects within the health sector.
“This is not just about paperwork, it is about our dignity, our career growth and our security as employees,” said one of the participants. “We have served in challenging circumstances, especially during the pandemic, but our genuine concerns have been left unheard.”
The employees pointed out that while new medical colleges were established to strengthen healthcare services in J&K, the absence of proper service rules has led to disparities and ambiguity in their status compared to counterparts in older institutions.
They urged the administration to treat the matter with urgency, stressing that the delay has already caused enough hardship.
The protesters warned that if their demands are not met, they may intensify their agitation while continuing to ensure that patient care remains unaffected.
The protest concluded peacefully with the employees expressing hope of the attention of the higher authorities to their longstanding grievance.