Health Ministry mulls introducing central recruitment at all AIIMS to address faculty shortage

Around 44% of the faculty posts are lying vacant in 18 new AIIMS, with AIIMS Rajkot having the lowest with just 40 faculties out of the sanctioned 183 posts, the ministry had said earlier

The Union Health Ministry is examining the possibility of introducing centralised recruitment for faculty and non-faculty at various AIIMS across India to address the shortage of personnel at these premier health institutes.

A committee comprising Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Health) NITI Aayog; Additional Secretary, PMSSY, Ministry of Health; and Director, AIIMS, New Delhi has been constituted in this regard.

"Following the Central Institute Body (CIB) meeting held on January 8 at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, with a view to strengthen the process of recruitment of faculty and non-faculty in various AIIMS, including examining the possibility of introducing centralised recruitment, the committee is constituted," an order issued on February 28 said.

Around 44% of the faculty posts are lying vacant in 18 new AIIMS, with AIIMS Rajkot having the lowest with just 40 faculties out of the sanctioned 183 posts, the ministry had told the Lok Sabha last year.

AIIMS Rajkot is followed by AIIMS Vijaypur and AIIMS Gorakhpur having the lowest number of faculties as against the number of sanctioned posts.

Adequate faculty posts have been sanctioned by the government for all newly-created All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for teaching MBBS students, the ministry had said.

"The central recruitment system will make the appointment process of faculties and non-faculties more transparent and smooth. Besides, it will also facilitate their easy transfer from one AIIMS to another. Currently, these individual AIIMS recruit their own personnel. It has been seen that talented doctors are reluctant for positions outside their states where they are based or in hard to reach areas," an official source explained.