AIIMS New Delhi

New Delhi: A total of 429 faculty members resigned from various All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) between 2022 and 2024, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday (August 11).

While responding to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ramji Lal Suman’s query concerning whether doctors from various AIIMS are leaving their jobs and joining the private sector, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav provided this reply.

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“Reasons for resignation of faculty are both personal and professional,” the Minister said.

In a written response to the query, the Minister shared an AIIMS-wise list of faculty members who resigned in the past three years. Among the 429 faculty members who resigned, 52 are from AIIMS New Delhi.

Similarly, a number of faculty members left their positions at AIIMS in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh (30); Rishikesh, Uttarakhand (38); Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh (32); and Raipur, Chhattisgarh (35) to join private jobs.

Recently, citing government data, The Print reported that the country’s AIIMS, including the flagship institute in Delhi, are encountering a massive faculty shortage, with many senior doctors leaving for the private sector.

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Among 20 AIIMS institutions (excluding AIIMS Delhi), none have filled even 80% of their sanctioned faculty positions. These institutes face a significant faculty shortage, ranging from 24% to  73%.

Several initiatives have been adopted to address the faculty crunch at AIIMS. These initiatives include recruiting retired teachers from medical colleges and allowing guest faculty from both India and abroad. However, the staffing deficit remains unresolved.