42% faculty posts vacant across 13 AIIMS set up in past decade: Govt data

Nearly 42% of faculty positions remain unfilled in 13 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) newly established over the past decade, the data shared by the minister of health and family welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda in the Parliament revealed. Notably, five AIIMS have failed to appoint a single EWS faculty position. Despite having sanctioned seats for all categories, AIIMS Madurai has neither EWS nor ST positions filled.

A total of 2,574 faculty positions were sanctioned in these new AIIMS institutes set up after 2014. Of these, only 1,476 vacancies have been filled, leaving a significant number of 1,098 positions unfilled. The data highlights the continuing staffing gap in the top medical colleges in India.

The data shared by the ministry last year in December showed that 36% of the AIIMS faculty positions across 20 functioning medical colleges remained vacant. Although it showed an improvement compared to previous years’, the latest numbers again highlight the staffing shortfall.

“In a medical institute under the Ministry, once the posts are created, reservation rosters are maintained as per the instructions of the Central Government and the recruitment is carried out accordingly,” the ministry said in its reply.

These colleges also hire contractual teachers, whose tenure varies from six months to two years, or until the posts are filled on a regular basis, whichever is earlier.

Total faculty vacancies in AIIMS

Total number of posts of professor, associate professor, assistant professor created and filled in Government medical colleges set up in the last 10 years. Six out of the 13 AIIMS institutes show over 42% faculty shortage, with AIIMS Madurai facing a highest shortfall at 68.15%, followed by AIIMS Rajkot at 57.54%.

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AIIMS contractual faculty vacancies

Institute-wise number of contractual faculty and other contractual employees along with the percentage in comparison to the sanctioned regular posts in AIIMS. Despite having a faculty shortage of 42.86%, AIIMS Kalyani has not filled any contractual vacancies in the last 10 years. AIIMS Madurai, which has the highest number of faculty positions vacant, has only 8 teachers on contract.

AIIMS Guwahati, AIIMS Bibinagar, and AIIMS Nagpur also have the lowest number of contractual employees in comparison to sanctioned posts.