Delay in Implementation of Rotatory Headship: AIIMS, PGIMER Faculty Associations warn of protest

New Delhi: Dissatisfied with the delayed implementation of rotatory headship, the faculty associations of the AIIMS, New Delhi and PGIMER, Chandigarh said on Thursday that they will organise protests if it gets delayed any further.

The associations also expressed their deep anguish over the delay in the submission of a report regarding the rotatory headship. Union Health Ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Dr Vinod Kumar Paul (Member, NITI Aayog) on August 18, 2022.

The committee was to submit its report to the government on the implementation of rotatory headship and other related issues. But even after the lapse of more than six months, this committee has failed to submit its report to the government, they said in a joint statement.

“To the best of our knowledge, all the members of the committee have appraised their opinion to the chairman, Professor Vinod Paul, and this report is inexplicably pending release for several days/weeks,” the statement said.

The faculty associations of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) have been demanding rotatory headship for more than a decade now. Countless committees have been formed by the Centre in this regard in the past and almost every panel has recommended its implementation in principle, adds PTI

Of the many committees so far on this issue, one was formed under the chairmanship of Professor V K Behl, former dean of the AIIMS, to give suggestions on how to implement it. The committee has submitted its report after due consideration and consultation, the statement said. The implementation and modalities of this administrative reform have been discussed deeply and for long and now, it is only left to be implemented.

Also Read:Doctors Write to Union Health Minister seeking rotatory headship policy at AIIMS, PGIMER

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that expressing their anguish over the delay in the implementation of the 'Rotation of Headship' policy at AIIMS, the Faculty Association of the Institute had written to the Director of the Institute Prof M Srinivas and threatened to go on a protest if the rotatory headship' is not implemented in the institute immediately.

The FAIMS general body had said that implementing this policy is essential for transparency and accountability in the governance of the institute. Expressing their anguish over the delay in implementing the Rotatory Headship, the FAIMS had also opined that the constitution of a committee of external experts to consider 'Rotation of Headship' was "unnecessary and unwarranted".

Last year, AIIMS Delhi had constituted a six-member expert panel to consider the proposal of rotation of headship after every five years in departments and centres. The proposal was discussed in the central institute body (CIB) meeting held on June 16 last year under the chairmanship of the Union Health Minister, according to an AIIMS notification issued on August 18.