Fill up vacancies at AIIMS, Parliamentary panel asks health ministry

Panel said health department should strive to plug gaps in medical and paramedical sanctioned posts

A parliamentary panel has asked the health ministry to put in additional efforts to reduce the number of vacancies at AIIMS in New Delhi so that it can maintain the status of an institute of national importance.

The panel noted that the health department should strive to plug the gaps in medical and paramedical sanctioned posts by expeditious filling up of vacancies in different categories at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The department-related parliamentary standing committee for demands for grants 2017-18 of the department of health and family welfare suggested taking up a collaborative approach to the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship for manpower requirements.

"The committee notes that though the number of vacant faculty posts has reduced from 232 to 179 as compared to last year, the department needs to put in additional efforts for further reducing the number of vacancies keeping in view the increasing workload at the institute (AIIMS)," the panel chaired by Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav said.

A complete team of paramedical professionals including technical staff is "sine-qua-non" for the efficient functioning of any hospital setup, it said, adding that for a premier institute like AIIMS, gaps in the workforce would definitely affect the smooth running of the hospital.

"The committee recommends that to maintain the status of the institute of national importance, the department should strive to plug these gaps in the medical and paramedical sanctioned posts by expeditious filling up of all vacancies in various categories.

"A collaborative approach to the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship may also be considered for manpower requirements," it said.

The committee noted that the department has informed that at present 73 professors and 106 assistant professors seats are vacant at AIIMS.

With regard to the recruitment process for the post of professor, a litigation on the issue of seniority between the professors appointed under the mode of direct recruitment vis-a-vis those who were promoted under assessment promotion scheme is pending before the Delhi High Court, it noted.

Unless the issue of seniority is resolved, the process of filling up of vacant posts of professor could not be initiated, the department told the committee.

In 2016 appointment letters were issued to 85 candidates, of whom 74 have already joined. The process of filing up the vacant post of assistant professor will be initiated once the previously recruited candidates join their post, the committee was told by the department.