1. STRESS
AND
RULES
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. A doctor retired from his job as a professor.
He was invited by a medical college for
appointment.
However; during the interview he was told that his
profile prepared by the apex body of doctors
indicated that he could be appointed ONLY as a
lecturer, now called Assistant Professor.
The reason given to him was that; he had not
served in the capacity of lecturer for 4 years!
The doctor was surprised and said (showing the
certificate of experience) that he had worked as
Associate Professor for 26 and ½ years and as
Professor for 1 year!

3. The interviewers showed a piece of paper prepared
by the apex body and expressed their helplessness
and sadness!
“Why could have this rule been imposed by the
apex body?”
The doctor found one explanation convincing!
The majority of the office bearers in apex body
belonged to certain states and certain institutions,
where all the doctors used to get far more (more
than double) salary and several facilities; than their
counterparts in rest of the institutions in the
country; and therefore had different rules of
promotions and hence had served as lecturer for
more than 4 years! The majority in the apex body
imposed this rule so as to ensure that doctors in
their institutions and their states (who had the only
merit of serving as lecturers for more than 4 years)
could be benefited irrespective of other merits or

4. demerits; even if that be at the cost of medical
teachers who were otherwise; far more experienced
and meritorious, but were promoted before
completing 4 years as lecturers!
Irrespective of whether the doctor could manage
the stress or otherwise; he “died” as a Head of
the Department, as a Professor and even as an
Associate Professor! This is how; prejudiced
and petty rules; cause stress and kill the
innocent and meritorious people!