Rotatory Headship being reviewed by Health Ministry: PGIMER Director
Rotatory Headship Policy
Chandigarh: The issue of rotatory headship at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is being considered by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, PGIMER Director Dr. Vivek Lal recently revealed.
Such an announcement comes at a time when earlier this month, the faculty members from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi and PGIMER Chandigarh launched a joint relay hunger strike from June 1, demanding the implementation of the rotatory headship system.
Even though the Faculty Association of PGIMER had announced to resort to relay hunger strike, due to the ongoing vacations, no active participation was seen in the institute.
Amid this, PGIMER Director Dr. Lal informed that the matter is currently under consideration before the Union Health Ministry. Speaking to Hindustan Times in this regard, Dr. Lal said, "The ministry called for a presentation on rotatory headship from premier institutes last month, and a three-member committee from PGIMER had participated. The matter is under consideration of the ministry."
The meeting that took place at the Ministry level was conducted by the joint secretary. In the meeting, a three-member committee, including Dr. Arun Aggarwal, took part. Dr. Lal informed HT that things are being considered at the high level.
At present, a seniority-based headship policy is followed at PGIMER and AIIMS Delhi. According to this system, the heads of the departments (HoDs), hold the office until retirement or superannuation. In some of the departments, the had has been holding the position for more than a decade, which has now led to discontent among other faculty members.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that for more than a decade, the Faculty Association of PGIMER (FA-PGIMER) and the Faculty Association of AIIMS Delhi have been demanding a fixed-term, rotatory headship system at the institute. Countless committees were formed by the Centre in this regard in the past, and almost every panel has recommended its implementation in principle.
Similar recommendations had also been made by the VK Paul Committee. In a survey conducted by the committee, 78% of the PGI and AIIMS Faculty had said yes for the implementation of the rotatory headship in the departments.
Back then, the Ministry had ordered to have collegium system at these two institutes to take a final call over the rotatory headship issue after one year i.e. in 2024. Based on the Ministry order, PGIMER had implemented the collegium system in 2023.
Medical Dialogues had previously reported that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has called a meeting to discuss the prolonged delay in implementing the promised rotatory headship system at AIIMS and PGIMER.
The meeting was scheduled with a high-level committee led by Dr VK Paul of NITI Aayog to discuss the matter. The panel, which also includes former AIIMS director Dr MC Mishra and renowned cardiologist Dr KK Talwar, was formed in 2023 to oversee the rollout of the rotation policy at the country’s top medical institutions.
It is to be noted that the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS) and the Faculty Association of PGIMER sent a joint letter addressed to Union Health Minister JP Nadda announcing the launch of a month-long black badge campaign from May 1, 2025, to protest the inaction.
In the VK Paul committee report, 76% heads of the department have said no for the rotatory headship policy while 16% have said and 8% have called for an alternative system. 82% professors, 89% additional professors, 78% association professors, and 95% assistant professors had said yes to rotatory headship policy in the VK Paul report.
Also Read: Demanding rotatory headship policy, AIIMS, PGI Chandigarh Faculty begin hunger strike
