The rotatory headship issue at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is under the consideration of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal has revealed.
“The ministry called for a presentation on rotatory headship from premier institutes last month, and a three-member committee from PGIMER had participated. The matter is under consideration of the ministry,” Dr. Lal confirmed.
Currently, PGIMER and AIIMS Delhi follow a seniority-based system, where heads of the departments (HoDs), hold office until retirement or superannuation. In some departments, the head has been holding the position for over a decade, which has led to discontent among other faculty members.
The Faculty Association of PGIMER (FA-PGIMER), along with the Faculty Association of AIIMS Delhi, has been demanding a fixed-term, rotatory headship system for over a decade. In 2023, the VK Paul Committee, constituted by the ministry, had recommended a rotatory headship policy in PGIMER and AIIMS New Delhi.
In a survey conducted by the committee, 78% of the PGI and AIIMS faculty had said yes for the implementation of rotatory headship in the departments. The Ministry then had ordered to have collegium system in place in these two institutes and take final decision over rotatory headship after one year i.e. in 2024. After the ministry order, PGIMER had implemented the collegium system in 2023. However, the matter of implementing rotatory headship had remained frozen up till now. In the VK Paul committee report, 58% of the faculty of PGIMER/AIIMS Delhi had voted to have three-year tenure for HODs. Those opposing the rotatory headship include mostly the current heads of the department in PGIMER. In VK Paul committee report, 76% heads of the department have said no for the rotatory headship policy while 16% have said yes and 8% have called for an alternative system. 82% professors, 89% additional professors, 78% associate professors, and 95% assistant professors had said yes to rotatory headship policy in the VK Paul report.
{{/usCountry}}In a survey conducted by the committee, 78% of the PGI and AIIMS faculty had said yes for the implementation of rotatory headship in the departments. The Ministry then had ordered to have collegium system in place in these two institutes and take final decision over rotatory headship after one year i.e. in 2024. After the ministry order, PGIMER had implemented the collegium system in 2023. However, the matter of implementing rotatory headship had remained frozen up till now. In the VK Paul committee report, 58% of the faculty of PGIMER/AIIMS Delhi had voted to have three-year tenure for HODs. Those opposing the rotatory headship include mostly the current heads of the department in PGIMER. In VK Paul committee report, 76% heads of the department have said no for the rotatory headship policy while 16% have said yes and 8% have called for an alternative system. 82% professors, 89% additional professors, 78% associate professors, and 95% assistant professors had said yes to rotatory headship policy in the VK Paul report.
{{/usCountry}}The meeting that took place at ministry level was conducted by the joint secretary and a three member committee including Dr Arun Aggarwal participated from PGIMER. Dr Lal added that things are being considered at high level.
The faculty association of PGIMER along with AIIMS had initiated a black badge protest in the month of May for the inaction by the ministry on the issue. In the month of June, FA-PGIMER had announced to resort to relay hunger protest but due to ongoing vacations, no active participation in relay hunger protest was seen in the institute.