AIIMS faculty selection under health ministry's lens

NEW DELHI: The faculty selection process at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has come under the health ministry scanner for denial of reservation during recruitment. The ministry is examining the matter and recently also summoned several senior officials from the institute including its director M C Misra, official sources said.

According to sources, in know of developments, the move came in the wake of strict directives from health minister J P Nadda to look into the matter after concerns were raised by many parliamentarians during the winter session. This included some BJP allies as well. In fact, recently even Union minister for consumer affairs Ram Vilas Paswan also wrote to Nadda seeking intervention in the matter.

While the faculty selection process is currently going on in the institute despite alleged flaws in the roster, several representations from even within the institute has sought to withhold the process.

"We, therefore, request you to intervene in this matter, and prevail upon the AIIMS administration to withhold the forthcoming faculty selection till the issue of roster, backlog, etc is addressed," a representation from AIIMS faculty members under the Forum for Rights & Equality said.

The health ministry is examining all reports submitted by various panels set up on the issue and the recommendations made by them along with directives and orders from various courts in the past few years. The ministry has also asked AIIMS to give a written response on the matter.

Many have alleged that while SC, ST and OBC candidates were rejected in large number during previous faculty selection process, the discrimination has become more aggressive with the current dispensation at AIIMS.

Faculty selection at AIIMS has been a contentious issue for long. Almost every faculty selection at AIIMS since 1993 has been a subject of litigation in the courts. In 2012, then Lok Sabha MP Monazir Hassan had written to the parliamentary committee on health to look into the matter. Hassan alleged illegal practices were followed in selection of faculty.