Rotatory Headship Policy at AIIMS and PGI still pending: Health Minister tells Parliament

New Delhi: The long-debated proposal for the implementation of a rotatory headship system at AIIMS, New Delhi, and PGIMER, Chandigarh, continues to remain in limbo, despite recommendations made over two years ago.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, a committee was constituted to examine the proposal. The panel submitted its report on April 13, 2023, after which it was decided to implement the collegium system for one year as an interim arrangement. Orders to this effect were issued by AIIMS on August 31, 2023, and by PGIMER on July 27, 2023.

However, there has been no further movement towards adopting the rotation policy itself. The Ministry’s statement in Parliament confirms that while the collegium system was approved, the implementation of the rotation of headship at these two premier institutions is still awaited.

Also read- Doctors Urge Union Health Minister to Implement Rotatory Headship at AIIMS, PGI Chandigarh

This comes after the Minister shared the information in the Rajya Sabha recently while responding to a series of questions raised by a parliament member, Dr Vikramjit Singh Sahney. He sought to know whether it is a fact that in July 2023, a report was submitted to the Ministry regarding rotation of Headship in AIIMS, New Delhi and PGIMER, Chandigarh, and it was accepted as well and whether it is a fact that even after two years of the approval of the Rotation of Headship, it is not being executed in AIIMS, New Delhi and PGIMER Chandigarh.

In response to the queries, the MoS Health said, "A Committee was constituted to consider the proposal of Rotation of Headship in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. The Committee submitted its report on 13.04.2023. Considering the recommendations of the Committee, it was decided to implement the Collegium system for one year. Accordingly, AIIMS, New Delhi, vide order dated 31.08.2023 and PGIMER, Chandigarh, vide order dated 27.07.2023, have implemented the collegium system."

The Rotatory Headship model aims to open equal opportunity for faculty members to serve in leadership roles, greater accountability and transparency in departmental functioning, prevent favouritism and stagnation of leadership across institutions and encourage the generation of innovation and diverse leadership styles.

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 a 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 and AIIMS 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.

Meanwhile, 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 the rotatory headship policy in the VK Paul report.

Also read- AIIMS, PGI faculty to stage joint protest on Doctors day demanding rotatory headship