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Mumbai — July 23, 2025
The recruitment of over 700 faculty members in Mumbai’s four Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run medical colleges has come to a standstill due to unresolved legal issues, despite pressing staff shortages and government approvals for the hiring drive.
Background
The BMC oversees four major medical colleges in Mumbai:
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Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College (KEM Hospital, Parel)
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Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College (Sion Hospital)
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Topiwala National Medical College (Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central)
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Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Medical College (Cooper Hospital, Andheri)
These colleges, which are also teaching hospitals, have a sanctioned strength of approximately 829 teaching staff—including professors, assistant professors, and lecturers. However, staffing levels remain far from adequate:
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Only about 200 teaching posts are filled by permanent employees.
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Around 350 staff members are working on a contractual basis.
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Many posts remain unfilled, straining the existing faculty who double as hospital doctors.
Recruitment Hurdles
The BMC had sought “blanket permission” from the state’s Urban Development (UD) department to advertise and fill faculty positions, hoping to streamline the lengthy recruitment process. While Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the UD ministry, has provided approval, the legal department has expressed reservations about granting overarching permission.
This hesitation has prevented publication of the recruitment advertisement, further delaying the hiring process, even as the revised roster of teaching staff appointments has already received internal BMC approval.
Dr Neelam Andrade, Director of major BMC hospitals, highlighted the severity of the staff shortage, confirming that the medical colleges are “reeling under severe teaching staff crunch.” She noted that BMC will request the state government to permit appointments under the earlier 2023 recruitment circular if the latest provisions remain stalled.
Additional Challenges
An age eligibility criterion is compounding the issue, potentially disqualifying many experienced professors currently serving on contract from applying for regular faculty positions.
The shortage has drawn attention from the Maharashtra legislative assembly, with MLA Aaditya Thackeray raising the matter and engaging with BMC’s Municipal Commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani, to expedite the process.
Staff Discontent and Upcoming Strike
Discontent among BMC’s civic staff is on the rise. The Municipal Mazdoor Union has threatened a one-day strike on July 22, spotlighting the large number of vacant positions:
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21 senior sanitary inspector posts
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67 sanitary inspector/overseer posts
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149 junior overseer posts
Union leaders criticize the persistent lack of appointments in the health department, calling for urgent action.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information as of July 23, 2025. For the latest updates and developments, please refer to official announcements and BMC communications. The content does not constitute official BMC policy or government statements, and readers are advised to verify details with authoritative sources before making decisions or taking action based on this report.
