Implementation of technical resignation to allow transfer of employees will dent AIIMS reputation, FAIMS opposes Health Ministry proposal

New Delhi: The Union health ministry has proposed implementation of technical resignation to allow transfer of employees across newly-created AIIMS without having to quit from their posts, official sources said on Thursday.

The ministry has also proposed that if any officer or faculty from institutes of national importance such as AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh and JIPMER Puducherry, gets an offer to join new AIIMS and vice versa, technical resignation with pay protection along with consequential benefits may be allowed.

These suggestions have drawn flak from the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS)which in a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that implementing the transfer of faculty and staff policy at AIIMS Delhi will not only hamper teaching, research and patient care, but also "dent its reputation at the national and international levels". The proposal has been sent to the directors of AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry and to the directors and executive directors of new AIIMS.

In a communication sent to them on October 9, the ministry said the issue of implementation of technical resignation and availing the benefits of past service in respect of employees of new AIIMS was discussed in various Standing Finance Committee meetings and also in the 5th Central Institute Body meeting held on June 15, 2021. Several representations were received from new AIIMS seeking clarifications on acceptance of technical resignation.

A proposal was referred by the Ministry to the Department of Personnel and Training with a request to allow extension of benefits of technical resignation to faculty/officers of various new AIIMS. In the communication, the ministry said the matter was further deliberated and it listed the pros and cons of allowing the benefits of technical resignation to employees of AIIMS.

Stating the pros, the ministry said if technical resignation is allowed, "employees working in one new AIIMS will get the option of transfer to another new AIIMS without having to resign their posts". This will benefit them because they may get to work near their home town which could help them to stay with their families. Issues relating to availability of residential accommodation, schooling of their children will be addressed if acceptance of technical resignation is allowed, it said.

The ministry further said allowing technical resignation of employees will not result in the lapse of the leave to the credit of the employees. Therefore, there will be continuity for accumulation of leave which will benefit the employees.

Acceptance of technical resignation of employees will allow entitlement to Leave Travel Concession (LTC) to be carried forward who joins another AIIMS after submitting technical resignation. Acceptance of technical resignation of employees will allow pay protection, eligibility of past service for reckoning of the minimum period for grant of annual increment which will benefit the employees and it could also encourage employees of state or central government to apply for posts in new AIIMS.

"Allowing technical resignation of employees will definitely benefit the employees. This could also benefit some new AIIMS which could attract experienced employees to work in their institute, which they are otherwise finding it difficult to attract," the ministry said.

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The communication also highlighted the cons according to which allowing technical resignation of employees will put additional financial burden of new AIIMS on payment of salaries as the employees will join with entitlement of pay protection, Leave, LTC, pay protection, etc. It could result in jumbling in seniority list which may cause heart burn to existing employees and hamper the promotion opportunities of existing employees among others.

These points were placed before the competent authority which observed that all new AIIMS and institutes of national importance are receiving grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Health and, therefore, the financial implication on account of technical resignation will be revenue neutral and will not affect the institute as employee of one AIIMS or institute of national importance will be joining another.

At the same time, all new AIIMS and institutes of national importance will be benefited as they can attract faculties from other Institutions.

Officers and faculties with vast experience would not hesitate to join new AIIMS as their pay and other benefits would be protected and even officers and faculties from government hospitals may apply for the posts in these institutes.

It is expected that this will help to improve in filling up the large number of vacant posts in these institutes.

"As AIIMS/INIs (institutes of national importance) are situated all over the country, there are cases where one of the spouse is working in one institute and the other is working in other Institute. As there is no transfer policy, transfer on spouse ground is not allowed presently. If the benefit of technical resignation is available, one of the spouse may get the opportunity to apply for the post in another institute where the other spouse is working, thereby their family life is not disturbed," the communication said.

"It was proposed that implementation of technical resignation with pay protection to employees may be considered within AIIMS and INIs. If any officer/faculty from INIs (AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh and JIPMER Puducherry) gets an offer to join new AIIMS and vice versa, technical resignation with pay protection along with consequential benefits may be allowed," the ministry said in the communication.

FAIMS Delhi in its letter to Mandaviya on November 1 said the proposal hinted the transfer of faculty and staff across newly created AIIMS under the PMSSY.

"Faculty association strongly believes that implementing the transfer of faculty/ staff policy at AIIMS Delhi will not only hamper the teaching, research and patient care, but also dent the reputation at national and international level. This proposal also goes against the vision of the Prime Minister to put India at the top in medical education at the global level by promoting excellence in healthcare. Hence, We at FAIMS will strongly oppose any proposal to transfer of faculty and staff of AIIMS, Delhi to other AIIMS under PMSSY," the letter by FAIMS said.