Massive faculty crunch in 6 new AIIMS

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 24

In all, 16 new AIIMS are in different stages of progress while six AIIMS that were the first to be operationalised are facing a whopping crunch in both faculty and non-faculty positions.

3-month extension for AIIMS chief

• Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi, got a 3-month extension after his current tenure ended on Thursday
• The government has constituted a four-member search-cum-selection committee to select the new AIIMS Director
• The wait for the appointment of Director, PGI, Chandigarh, entered sixth month. It is expected to end soon, say sources

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health, in its report to Parliament today, flagged its concerns on massive vacancies across new AIIMS ranging from 59.4 per cent in AIIMS, Patna, to 29.8 per cent at AIIMS in Bhopal and Bhubaneswar.\

Of the sanctioned faculty positions of 305 in each of the new six AIIMS, 169 are vacant in AIIMS Patna, 143 in AIIMS Raipur, 96 each in AIIMS Bhopal and Bhubaneswar, 91 in AIIMS Rishikesh and 88 in AIIMS Jodhpur.

Likewise, out of the sanctioned strength of 3,876 non-faculty staff at these six institutes, 1,778 positions are vacant in AIIMS Bhopal (45.8 per cent), 1,349 in AIIMS Bhubaneswar, 215 in Patna, 873 in Jodhpur and 648 in Rishikesh.

“The committee expresses its concern at the shortage of staff at various posts in the six AIIMS and observes that none of the AIIMS have a satisfactory number of faculty and staff. A premier institute such as AIIMS must maintain high standards in its selection criteria, especially for highly skilled and specialised healthcare workforce,” the panel said.

The panel also observed that in some AIIMS, where the construction work was incomplete, the MBBS classes were running from temporary campuses. “The committee recommends the ministry to make all-out efforts so that the education of MBBS students does not suffer in the absence of adequate infrastructure and facilities.

“The ministry may take stock of the progress regularly in the new AIIMS so that the temporary infrastructure is in good condition,” the report said.

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