NEW DELHI: The demand for the implementation of the Rotatory Headship policy at premier medical institutes like AIIMS New Delhi and PGIMER Chandigarh has gathered fresh momentum with both the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) backing the cause and writing to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda.
In a letter dated July 9, Dr. Girish Tyagi, President of DMA, called upon the Health Ministry to enforce its own directive from July 2023 regarding the Rotatory Headship system. “Despite nearly a year having passed, the policy remains unimplemented. This prolonged delay has demoralized dedicated faculty, caused institutional stagnation, and undermined the principles of fairness and accountability in academic leadership,” Tyagi wrote, urging the government to institutionalize Rotatory Headship as a national policy across centrally funded and NMC-recognized medical institutions.
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Joining the chorus, the IMA Headquarters, in a letter dated July 15, extended its “full support” to the joint representation made by the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS) and the Faculty Association of PGIMER (FA-PGIMER).
Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, National President of IMA, and Dr. Sarbari Dutta, Honorary Secretary General, wrote, “Timely action on this matter will not only uphold the principles of academic equity and transparency but also reinforce India’s commitment to global best practices in institutional governance.”
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The IMA underlined that Rotatory Headship is a globally accepted model of academic leadership practiced at prestigious institutions such as Oxford, Harvard, and Indian institutes like IITs, IIMs, JIPMER, NIMHANS, BHU, and CMC Vellore.
The association emphasized that the reform is a long-standing recommendation of various internal committees and highlighted the importance of aligning India’s academic governance with international standards.
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The letters have also been marked to key stakeholders, including the National Medical Commission, the National Board of Examinations, and secretaries in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
With leading medical associations throwing their weight behind the cause, the ball is now firmly in the Centre’s court as faculty across AIIMS and PGIMER await action on a policy they see as critical for academic fairness and institutional integrity.
