The preparations for counselling for promotion of assistant professors to associate professors in medical colleges will begin from July 4, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said.
He was speaking to reporters after administering the awareness pledge on World Vitiligo Day on Monday at a private college in Saidapet.
It was during Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s tenure in 2010 that the government had changed the Tamil name for vitiligo from venkushtam to venpulli in a bid to eradicate the stigma attached to the condition, the Minister recalled. Also, the government had issued an order that no one with the skin condition should be discriminated against in educational institutions or workplace.
At present 37 lakh persons are affected by the condition and there is a need for sustained efforts to prevent stigma, he added.
To a question on the Opposition’s complaint that Asha workers had been neglected, Mr. Subramanian said the National Health Mission appointed assistants to village health nurses 10 years ago. “Until our government took over, the NHM paid them an incentive of ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 for working 4 to 6 hours. I was invited to a meeting they held, and I assured them that we would discuss the issue with the Union Health Minister. Next week we will be meeting the Minister and we will take up their issue,” he said.
The Minister added that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had, after 2021, announced further incentives following which they now received ₹4,000 to ₹6,000. “We are giving them a pair of slippers, gloves, dress overcoats and thermometers,” he added.
The Minister maintained that there was no delay in promoting faculty in medical colleges. The medical education department will start promotion counselling for faculty from July 4 though the Madras High Court is expected to deliver a verdict only two days after that, he informed reporters.
Over 700 assistant professors are expected to be promoted as associate professors during the counselling, he explained. “The State has 36 colleges and they have been approved by the NMC for student admission,” he said.
