Faculty associations of AIIMS Delhi and PGIMER Chandigarh announced a peaceful march from Jawaharlal Nehru Auditorium to Parliament at 5 pm on August 1, demanding the immediate implementation of the rotatory headship policy. The reform, mandated by the Union Health Ministry in July 2023, aims to ensure fairness, transparency, and decentralized leadership in these premier medical institutes, a practice already adopted by global institutions like Harvard, Oxford, IITs, and JIPMER.
The Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS) and Faculty Association of PGIMER (FA-PGIMER) have been protesting for over three months, including black badge campaigns in May, relay hunger strikes since June under “Hunger for Justice” and “Relay for Change,” and Doctors’ Day demonstrations. Despite these efforts, the associations claim no response from authorities, prompting the march. “The delay undermines faculty morale, governance, and the credibility of our institutes,” their joint statement read, noting that two academic cycles have passed without action on the ministry’s directive, based on a NITI Aayog committee recommendation led by Dr. V.K. Paul.
The rotatory headship system, designed to rotate department leadership among eligible faculty, aims to curb monopolistic control and foster academic excellence. The associations emphasized that the march seeks to highlight governance reform without disrupting patient care, with 78% of faculty surveyed in a 2024 FAIMS poll supporting the policy. They have sought police permission and pledged to follow all security protocols.
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The protest follows similar unrest at AIIMS Delhi, where faculty recently criticized administrative delays in promotions, with 23% of associate professor posts vacant as per a 2024 internal report. The associations remain united, framing the march as a stand for “institutional democracy, academic integrity, and excellence in medical education.”
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