It is now over half a century since Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital (JLNMCH), Bhagalpur began producing doctors. From its inception in 1971, the college has formed generations of medical professionals. However, once it comes to purchasing modern teaching tools, such as a 3D dissection table, the institution got stuck in the loop of procedural deadlocks and clerical obstacles. Regardless of various efforts in 2018 and onwards, the much-needed 3D virtual dissection table is still not a part of the equipment in the anatomy department. And no, it’s not due to budget-related problems. It is due to the age restriction on government procurement portals.
Age Rule Blocks Proposal for 3D Dissection Table
The proposal for the provision of the 3D dissection table to JLNMCH was approved by Bihar’s Health Department in April 2018 with a provision of almost ₹2 crore for its purchase. However, here’s the kicker: There is the GeM portal (Government e-Marketplace), which is the official procurement platform, and has a clause that ONLY allows officials below the age of 60 to make orders for high-value items. This rule prevented the then-principal, Dr. Hemant Kumar Sinha, who had started the purchase, from doing so. He made an attempt to find a bit of advice from the department, sent several letters, and waited for clarification. But nothing moved. Eventually, his tenure ended. And the pattern repeated.
A Parade of Principals, and No Progress
In the last seven years, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital has had five principals and two acting principals, but the table has still not been bought. Why? Since all of them were over the age of 60 years, they varied between 64-66 years.
Here are the doctors in revolving door frames:
- Dr. Hemant Kumar Sinha
- Dr. Umashankar Singh
- Dr. Uday Narayan Singh
- Dr. Rakesh Kumar
- Dr. K.K. Sinha (now deceased)
There were also interim school heads like Dr. Ashok Kumar Bhagat and Dr. H.P. Dubey, who were also appointed during the same time, but they were not even given financial powers to purchase.
No Plan B for Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College
In order to overcome the GeM portal’s age barrier, the administration attempted to push the purchase to faculty members less than 60 years old. But that plan also fizzled. Why? Due to younger doctors’ refusal on account of possible risks and fear of financial mismanagement allegations. Nobody wanted to have anything to do with the responsibility of a pole of ten feet.
Now, again, the current Panicum talking principal Dr. H.P. Dubey is drafting a new proposal to be sent to the department, hoping for an exception, workaround, or just an answer: the only thing that is clear for now is the case is being prepared for yet another round of deep thinking and inactivity.
“No effort’s been lacking”, said Dr. Dubey. But because all principals were facing the same age wall, it kept resetting the process. We are giving it another shot with well-documented specs. Hopefully, this time, something moves.”
What Is A 3D Dissection Table?
A 3D dissection table isn’t only a piece of cool tech, but also a revolutionary tool for anatomy students. Basically, it is a virtual cadaver, which is touchscreen-operated. These tables are installed with rich anatomical software, which enables MBBS students to study.
- Human body structure in 3D detail
- Organs, tissues, blood vessels, joints, systems.
- Such layers include skin, muscles, skeleton, digestive, and nervous systems.
And yes, no physical cadavers needed. With the help of one table, hundreds of students can see anatomy in action, zoom in on the body system, rotate views, and examine pathology in contrast to static textbooks or a limited dissection lab.
It is not surprising that the best medical colleges of the world use them, and so do many Indian ones. But Bhagalpur’s JLNMCH is still waiting, not for reasons of the lack of vision or money, but because the principal’s date of birth doesn’t fit GeM’s eligibility box.
The Bottom Line
For an institution like Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College with its reputation built throughout decades, the lack of a modern device such as the 3D dissection table is more than tech lag – it is a shining example of rigidity disrupting momentum. When an entire generation of medical students is using outdated resources, where millions have already been spent in budget allocations, the delay is indicative of a bigger problem of a systemically rigid and non-accountable system. Here’s hoping the next letter Dr. Dubey writes falls into the hands of a person ready to take action. Frankly speaking, our future doctors deserve something better than excuses.
