India's All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), including the flagship institute in Delhi, are facing a significant faculty shortage, with approximately 40% of faculty positions vacant across the country. This shortage is impacting medical education, research, and patient care.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has acknowledged the faculty shortage. Data presented in the Lok Sabha, based on the 134th report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, reveals the alarming state of faculty and non-faculty staff shortages across various AIIMS branches. Faculty shortages range from 24 percent to as much as 73 percent across the 20 AIIMS institutions.
AIIMS Delhi, considered the country's top public facility for tertiary care health services and high-quality medical education, also faces a substantial shortage. Over 35 percent of the 1,306 sanctioned posts, which equates to 462 faculty positions, are vacant. This concerning statistic highlights the severity of the issue even in the most established AIIMS institution.
Several factors contribute to this shortage. One significant reason is that many senior doctors are leaving AIIMS for the private sector. A government reply in Parliament last August stated that between 2021 and 2024, 422 doctors had resigned from 20 AIIMS institutes in various cities, including 25 from AIIMS Delhi, 27 from AIIMS Bhopal, and 37 each from AIIMS Bhubaneshwar and Raipur. The lure of super-specialty clinical practice in corporate hospitals is proving more attractive than academic teaching and research in medical colleges.
The impact of this faculty crunch is far-reaching. The quality of medical education is threatened as students may struggle to gain essential theoretical and practical knowledge without enough experienced teachers. Furthermore, the shortage hampers patient care in a country striving to improve healthcare access and standards. With fewer faculty members, the existing staff faces increased pressure, potentially affecting the quality of care provided to patients. Research output may also suffer, hindering advancements in medical science.
The government has recognized the urgency of the situation and has stated that efforts are underway to address the faculty shortage. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda stated that the Centre had approved the setting up of 22 new AIIMSs under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The creation of posts and recruitment is a continuous process, and steps have been taken to expeditiously fill vacant sanctioned positions in various AIIMS. However, the Minister also emphasized that the government does not want to recruit individuals solely to fill posts but is focused on maintaining the quality of faculty.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain in attracting and retaining qualified faculty members. Newer AIIMS institutions, such as AIIMS Awantipora and AIIMS Madurai, have vacancy rates exceeding 90%, making it difficult for these institutions to provide adequate training to medical students. Even established AIIMS, like AIIMS New Delhi, grapple with significant shortages.
Addressing the AIIMS faculty shortage requires a multi-pronged approach. This includes offering financial incentives to attract and retain qualified faculty, streamlining the recruitment processes, and creating a conducive environment for teaching and research. It is crucial to ensure that AIIMS institutions can fulfill their mission of shaping future medical professionals and providing quality healthcare services to the nation.
