Posts of top faculty lying vacant at AIIMS Bilaspur

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bilaspur, is struggling to fill up vacant posts of top faculty even two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the premier institution in October, 2022.

Out of the 33 sanctioned posts of professors, 22 are still vacant. As many as 16 posts each of additional professors and associate professors are also lying vacant despite repeated advertisements for filling up these key posts. Several posts of assistant professors are also lying vacant. So many vacancies in the faculty are affecting both the healthcare and the academics at the premier institution.

Rakesh Singh, Registrar, AIIMS, Bilaspur, said the vacant posts had been advertised again last month and the response from the applicants this time was much better and encouraging. “Many more candidates have shown interest this time than in the past when these posts were advertised,” said Singh. As for why doctors were not keen on joining the premier health institute like AIIMS, Bilaspur, Singh said there were several reasons, including not finding a suitable candidate for the posts in reserved category. Out of the 22 posts advertised for professors, 13 are reserved for various categories.

Besides, some doctors cite secluded location of the hospital, connectivity and lack of good school in the vicinity for the children of the staff and adequate residential facility on the campus. Admitting that these factors did discourage senior faculty from joining the institute initially, Singh said that these issues had been addressed now to a large extent.

“The connectivity has improved a lot after the four-laning of the road to Chandigarh. It will get even better as a train is expected to reach Bilaspur by next year,” said Singh.

The Registrar further said the work on providing school and residential facilities to the staff is underway on war footing. “A Kendriya Vidyalaya has been approved, and it will start functioning from this session in a building rented by the Department of Higher Education. Meanwhile, the state government has also identified land for the school,” he said. “Besides, efforts are being made to provide adequate residential facility for the staff within the campus,” said Singh.