Protest Erupts Over Stale Leadership at PGIMER and AIIMS
Protesting for the implementation of the rotatory headship policy, faculty members at PGI (Post Graduate Institute) start wearing black badges in Chandigarh.
In an effort to push the Union ministry of health and family welfare for change, faculty members of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) initiated a protest, marking the beginning of a month-long revolt. Approximately 30 faculty members, dressed in black badges, gathered at the administrative block to voice their discontent with the outdated leadership system currently in place.
The primary issue at hand is the method of appointing heads of departments (HoDs) which is currently based on seniority, enabling a faculty member to cling to the post until reach superannuation or retirement. The faculty association of PGIMER, collaborating with the faculty association of AIIMS, has persistently encouraged the ministry to embrace a rotatory headship system - a model that aims to appoint HoDs for a fixed term and regularly circulate the post among qualified faculty members.
At present, both PGIMER and AIIMS adhere to a system whereby the most experienced faculty member ascends to the HoD position and maintains the post until retirement. Critics of this system argue that it results in stagnation, dampens innovation, and restricts opportunities for aspiring faculty members to assume leadership roles.
As far back as April, the two faculty associations issued a unified statement, giving the ministry a 14-day ultimatum from the 17th to enact the policy. With no progress made, the associations have now commenced a month-long black badge protest, signaling deeper unrest among the academic community. If the issue persists, faculty are prepared to escalate to a relay hunger strike in June.
Dr Dheeraj Khurana, president of FA-PGIMER, stated, "We are peacefully voicing our frustrations." He continued, "The ministry was supposed to act on the VK Paul Committee's recommendation over a year ago, yet there has been no decision. The current system is unfair."
The VK Paul Committee, established by the Union ministry of health in 2023, advised implementing a rotatory headship policy at both PGIMER and AIIMS, along with the introduction of a collegium system for decision-making. It was expected that a final decision would be reached within a year. However, a year later, faculty say there has been no progress.
Faculty members across departments stood in support of the change, as Dr Manisha from the microbiology department expressed, "The rotatory headship will minimize prejudice and provide equal opportunities for leadership." Dr Suresh Kumar from the paediatrics department echoed similar sentiments, stating, "The rotatory headship system will enhance accountability and transparency."
Background: The VK Paul Committee Recommendation
The VK Paul Committee was constituted in 2023 by the Union ministry of health to address the leadership structures in India's top medical institutions such as PGIMER and AIIMS. Their recommendation included implementing a rotatory headship policy to replace the seniority-based appointments and for a fixed tenure for heads of departments, with the post being rotated among eligible faculty members. The ministry initially planned to enact the policy by 2024, but failed to meet this deadline, causing growing pressure from the academic community.
Concerns with the Current System
- Innovation Stagnation and Limited Opportunities: Critics claim that the existing model leads to stagnation in innovation and denies leadership opportunities to younger faculty members [1][3].
- Democratic Governance: Faculty associations stress that the rotatory system, coupled with a collegium for appointments, would ensure fair and democratic governance by preventing indefinite tenures [3][5].
Future Steps
- Intensified Protests: The continued delay in addressing their demand could result in further demonstrations, including work slowdowns or strikes, as faculty look to pressure the ministry into action [2][4].
- Joint Letters to JP Nadda: Both associations have written letters to the Union Health Minister, JP Nadda, reiterating the urgency of implementing the rotatory headship policy [5][2].
- Sympathetic Voices: Supporters from across departments stand united, urging the government to make necessary changes to uphold the integrity of India's top medical colleges and provide equal opportunities for leadership [3][5],.
- The faculty associations at PGIMER and AIIMS have launched a month-long protest, urging the Union ministry of health and family welfare to adopt a rotatory headship system, aiming to replace the seniority-based appointments for heads of departments.
- In their unified statement, the associations highlighted the need for the ministry to act on the VK Paul Committee's recommendations, proposed over a year ago, and failure to do so has led to growing unrest among the academic community.
- Critics argue that the current system, which relies on seniority for appointing heads of departments, stagnates innovation and denies leadership opportunities to younger faculty members.
- The rotatory headship system, as suggested by the VK Paul Committee, aims to ensure fair and democratic governance by preventing indefinite tenures and promoting equal opportunities for leadership.
- Supporters from across departments stand united, urging the government to implement the rotatory headship policy to uphold the integrity of India's top medical colleges.
- The faculty associations have outlined their concerns regarding the stale leadership system at PGIMER and AIIMS in the context of education-and-self-development, career-development, and workplace-wellness.
- If the ministry continues to overlook the faculty associations' demands, further demonstrations such as work slowdowns or strikes may occur as part of the policy-and-legislation advocacy process.
- Recognizing the importance of health-and-wellness in science and innovation, the faculty associations call for policy changes that prioritize mental health and skills training, contributing to overall general-news awareness.
- The VK Paul Committee also recommended establishing a collegium system for decision-making within these top medical institutions to enhance accountability and transparency.
- Both faculty associations have written letters to the Union Health Minister, JP Nadda, urging him to address their concerns and enact the policy recommended by the VK Paul Committee for the betterment of PGIMER and AIIMS.
