Government data reveals large-scale vacancies across AIIMS and central medical institutions

Overall vacancy picture presented in Rajya Sabha

Union Minister of State for Health, Anupriya Patel, presented detailed staffing data in the Rajya Sabha showing persistent shortfalls across centrally managed medical institutions. According to the information provided to Parliament, 19,561 faculty and non‑faculty posts at 20 functional All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and other central institutions are currently vacant. Of the sanctioned 6,297 faculty positions across those 20 AIIMS, 2,356 posts are unfilled. In the non‑faculty category, 58,994 posts have been sanctioned and 17,205 remain vacant.

These figures are drawn from official government returns tabled in Parliament and reflect sanctioned, in‑position, and vacant counts as supplied by the ministry.

Faculty and non‑faculty vacancies across 20 functional AIIMS — institution‑wise breakdown

The minister’s submission included institution‑level details for each of the 20 functional AIIMS. The sanctioned, in‑position and vacant numbers for faculty and non‑faculty positions are as follows:

– AIIMS New Delhi: Faculty sanctioned 1,306 (860 in position, 446 vacant); Non‑faculty sanctioned 13,911 (11,369 in position, 2,542 vacant).
– AIIMS Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Faculty 312 (241 in position, 71 vacant); Non‑faculty 3,874 (2,920 in position, 954 vacant).
– AIIMS Bhubaneswar (Odisha): Faculty 337 (238 in position, 99 vacant); Non‑faculty 3,963 (2,937 in position, 1,026 vacant).
– AIIMS Jodhpur (Rajasthan): Faculty 405 (221 in position, 184 vacant); Non‑faculty 4,048 (3,322 in position, 726 vacant).
– AIIMS Patna (Bihar): Faculty 305 (219 in position, 86 vacant); Non‑faculty 3,884 (2,752 in position, 1,132 vacant).
– AIIMS Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Faculty 305 (200 in position, 105 vacant); Non‑faculty 3,884 (2,815 in position, 1,069 vacant).
– AIIMS Rishikesh (Uttarakhand): Faculty 355 (229 in position, 126 vacant); Non‑faculty 4,095 (2,951 in position, 1,144 vacant).
– AIIMS Bathinda (Punjab): Faculty 219 (143 in position, 76 vacant); Non‑faculty 2,090 (1,453 in position, 637 vacant).
– AIIMS Bibinagar (Telangana): Faculty 183 (132 in position, 51 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,374 (898 in position, 476 vacant).
– AIIMS Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh): Faculty 217 (130 in position, 87 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,511 (987 in position, 524 vacant).
– AIIMS Deoghar (Jharkhand): Faculty 208 (132 in position, 76 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,712 (940 in position, 772 vacant).
– AIIMS Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh): Faculty 213 (117 in position, 96 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,492 (949 in position, 543 vacant).
– AIIMS Guwahati (Assam): Faculty 183 (117 in position, 66 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,630 (879 in position, 751 vacant).
– AIIMS Jammu (Jammu & Kashmir): Faculty 183 (119 in position, 64 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,311 (935 in position, 376 vacant).
– AIIMS Kalyani (West Bengal): Faculty 309 (175 in position, 134 vacant); Non‑faculty 2,221 (1,171 in position, 1,050 vacant).
– AIIMS Madurai (Tamil Nadu): Faculty 183 (70 in position, 113 vacant); Non‑faculty 911 (40 in position, 871 vacant).
– AIIMS Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh): Faculty 309 (171 in position, 138 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,953 (1,291 in position, 662 vacant).
– AIIMS Nagpur (Maharashtra): Faculty 373 (238 in position, 135 vacant); Non‑faculty 2,107 (1,395 in position, 712 vacant).
– AIIMS Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh): Faculty 209 (111 in position, 98 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,613 (1,120 in position, 493 vacant).
– AIIMS Rajkot (Gujarat): Faculty 183 (78 in position, 105 vacant); Non‑faculty 1,410 (665 in position, 745 vacant).

This institution‑wise depiction underscores a combination of shortages in both teaching (faculty) and supporting (non‑faculty) roles across the AIIMS network.

Vacancies in three Northeastern institutes

The ministry also supplied consolidated sanctioned and vacant figures for three centrally run northeastern institutes:

– Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal: Technical posts (doctors and nurses) sanctioned 1,072 with 210 vacant; Non‑technical sanctioned 794 with 393 vacant — total sanctioned 1,866 and 603 vacant.
– North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong: Technical sanctioned 661 with 155 vacant; Non‑technical sanctioned 1,077 with 208 vacant — total sanctioned 1,738 and 363 vacant.
– Regional Institute of Paramedical and Nursing Sciences (RIPANS), Aizawl: Technical sanctioned 169 with 117 vacant; Non‑technical sanctioned 61 with 10 vacant — total sanctioned 230 and 127 vacant.

These figures highlight concentrated staffing gaps in technical and non‑technical cadres within northeastern centres.

Vacancies in central government hospitals: doctors, nursing and paramedical staff

The ministry’s submission includes sanctioned, filled and vacancy counts for doctors, nursing personnel and paramedical staff at several central government hospitals:

– Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital (VMMC & SJH): Doctors sanctioned 632 (513 filled, 119 vacant); Nursing sanctioned 2,759 (2,342 filled, 417 vacant); Paramedical sanctioned 162 (122 filled, 40 vacant).
– Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences & Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (ABVIMS & Dr. RMLH): Doctors sanctioned 453 (351 filled, 102 vacant); Nursing sanctioned 1,559 (1,459 filled, 100 vacant); Paramedical sanctioned 498 (344 filled, 154 vacant).
– Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals (LHMC & Associated Hospitals): Doctors sanctioned 386 (298 filled, 88 vacant); Nursing sanctioned 1,181 (959 filled, 222 vacant); Paramedical sanctioned 631 (384 filled, 247 vacant).
– Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC): Doctors sanctioned 46 (30 filled, 16 vacant); Nursing sanctioned 41 (5 filled, 36 vacant); Paramedical sanctioned 90 (48 filled, 42 vacant).

Staff positions at JIPMER and PGIMER

Separate details were provided for two postgraduate institutes:

– Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry: Technical posts sanctioned 827 (594 existing, 233 vacant); Non‑technical posts sanctioned 528 (392 existing, 136 vacant).
– Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh: Technical posts sanctioned 1,674 (1,181 existing, 493 vacant); Non‑technical posts sanctioned 5,318 (3,949 existing, 1,369 vacant).

Recruitment measures and monitoring as described by the ministry

Responding in Parliament to questions on how vacancies are being addressed, the minister described filling vacant posts as an ongoing and regularly monitored process. She stated that vacancies are assessed and requisitions are submitted to recruiting agencies — including the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), National Testing Agency (NTA), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and other agencies — according to cadre requirements.

The minister noted that UPSC conducts the Combined Medical Services Examination (CMSE) and interviews for selection to various sub‑cadres, following which recommended candidates are processed and Offer of Appointment letters issued for central hospitals and institutions. For nursing recruitment across AIIMS, AIIMS Delhi conducts Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test (NORCET). AIIMS also conducts a Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) for Group B and C non‑faculty roles across all AIIMS. The ministry added that recruiting through INI‑CET and other processes has been undertaken, and vacancies are monitored through central mission recruitment mechanisms.

Quoted directly: “Filling up of vacant posts is an ongoing process. Vacancies are regularly assessed and requisitions are sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), National Testing Agency (NTA), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and other recruiting agencies, as per the requirement of each cadre and sub‑cadre.”

Legal direction and timeline for recruitment

medichelpline reported that, in compliance with a direction passed by the Patna High Court, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has asked the Department of Medical Education of all States and Union Territories to take immediate steps to fill vacancies in the medical teaching service. The court set a targeted timeline of six months for completion of the recruitment process in medical colleges. This judicial directive provides a parallel timeline and impetus to the ongoing central recruitment initiatives described by the ministry.

The data presented in Parliament underscores both the scale of staffing shortfalls across central medical institutions and the multiple recruitment channels being mobilized to address them. The ministry’s response indicates active engagement with statutory recruiting agencies and institution‑specific selection mechanisms as the authorities work to reduce the identified vacancies.