At AIIMS Delhi, 524 faculty posts are vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 1,306 NEW DELHI: Nearly four out of every 10 sanctioned faculty posts remain vacant across 11 AIIMS, exposing a deep staffing crunch at India’s premier public hospitals even as patient loads continue to rise. RTI replies accessed by TOI show that 1,600 of 4,099 faculty positions – about 39% – are lying vacant, raising concerns about the impact on patient care, specialist services and medical education.The data, compiled from RTI responses received from 11 All India Institute of Medical Sciences across different states, point to a widespread shortage cutting across both older, established AIIMS and newer institutes.At AIIMS Delhi – the country’s oldest and largest AIIMS and a national referral centre for complex cases – 524 faculty posts are vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 1,306, across key departments such as medicine, surgery, anaesthesia, paediatrics, neurology, oncology and emergency care.Several newer AIIMS are facing even higher shortages. AIIMS Jodhpur is worst hit, operating with 46.7% of faculty posts vacant (189 of 405). AIIMS Gorakhpur follows with 45.5% vacancies, while AIIMS Jammu reports a 44.3% shortfall. More than 40% of posts are also unfilled at AIIMS Kalyani and AIIMS Bilaspur. AIIMS Nagpur has 137 vacant posts out of 373 sanctioned positions, amounting to 36.7% vacancies.Other institutes show relatively lower – but still significant – shortages. AIIMS Bathinda is short of 37.4% of its faculty strength, AIIMS Raipur 34.8%, AIIMS Bhubaneswar 26%, and AIIMS Bhopal 25.6%.Health experts warn that prolonged faculty shortages at teaching hospitals affect outpatient services, surgery schedules, ICU supervision and the training of undergraduate and postgraduate doctors, as senior faculty juggle clinical, academic and administrative roles.Responding to staffing concerns, Rima Dada, media cell in-charge at AIIMS Delhi, said recruitment efforts were ongoing. “Interviews are underway, and the process of filling vacant posts is being carried out regularly,” she said.AIIMS hospitals cater to lakhs of patients every year, many referred from district and state hospitals for complex care. The RTI data accessed by TOI underline a widening gap between rapid infrastructure expansion and the pace of faculty recruitment, raising questions about whether India’s flagship medical institutions are being staffed adequately to meet rising healthcare demand.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCongress Leader Nana Patole’s ‘Rahul Like Ram’ Remark Sparks Row; BJP Hits BackWest Bengal SIR Brings Home A Man Presumed Dead For 28 Years In UP’s MuzaffarnagarIndia And Pakistan Exchange List Of Nuclear Installations Under 1988 Agreement‘Vote Theft In Bengal’: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Slams ECI Over SIR, BJP Fires Back180 Kmph While You Sleep! India’s Latest Vande Bharat Sleeper Marks New Era. Check Fares, FeaturesBJP Leader Attacks Shah Rukh Khan Over KKR’s Bangladeshi Cricketer Amid Hindu Lynching in BangladeshRajnath Singh Links Lord Ram’s Ethics To Operation Sindoor, Says India Fought Terror With DignityCleanliness Crown Cracks As Indore Loses 13 Lives To Poisoned Water And Administrative Lapses’India Belongs To Everyone’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat After Tripura Student Dies In Racial AttackIndia’s Silent Warriors On Kartavya Path Bring Army’s Battle-Tested Animals To Republic Day Parade123PhotostoriesHow to make Banana Almond Cake in a pressure cookerVande Bharat Sleeper Train Launch Soon On This Route! Indian Railways’ New Train Better Than Rajdhani – Check Photos, Ticket Price & Top 10 Facts10 iconic dishes the Mughals gave to IndiaCalcium isn’t enough: The bone mineral women forgetKidney damage: 10 symptoms of kidney problems people mistake for dehydration3 bitter truths about packaged foods you didn’t knowInside ‘Bigg Boss 19’ fame Ashnoor Kaur’s tech-savvy Mumbai homeFrom Arjun Tendulkar-Saaniya Chandhok to Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce: 5 most-anticipated celebrity weddings of 2026How to make Hara Bhara Kebab for evening snackingTV celebs like Ashnoor Kaur, Hina Khan are welcoming 2026 with open arms in unique ways; here’s how – See Inside123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant
NEW DELHI: Nearly four out of every 10 sanctioned faculty posts remain vacant across 11 AIIMS, exposing a deep staffing crunch at India’s premier public hospitals even as patient loads continue to rise. RTI replies accessed by TOI show that 1,600 of 4,099 faculty positions – about 39% – are lying vacant, raising concerns about the impact on patient care, specialist services and medical education.The data, compiled from RTI responses received from 11 All India Institute of Medical Sciences across different states, point to a widespread shortage cutting across both older, established AIIMS and newer institutes.At AIIMS Delhi – the country’s oldest and largest AIIMS and a national referral centre for complex cases – 524 faculty posts are vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 1,306, across key departments such as medicine, surgery, anaesthesia, paediatrics, neurology, oncology and emergency care.Several newer AIIMS are facing even higher shortages. AIIMS Jodhpur is worst hit, operating with 46.7% of faculty posts vacant (189 of 405). AIIMS Gorakhpur follows with 45.5% vacancies, while AIIMS Jammu reports a 44.3% shortfall. More than 40% of posts are also unfilled at AIIMS Kalyani and AIIMS Bilaspur. AIIMS Nagpur has 137 vacant posts out of 373 sanctioned positions, amounting to 36.7% vacancies.Other institutes show relatively lower – but still significant – shortages. AIIMS Bathinda is short of 37.4% of its faculty strength, AIIMS Raipur 34.8%, AIIMS Bhubaneswar 26%, and AIIMS Bhopal 25.6%.Health experts warn that prolonged faculty shortages at teaching hospitals affect outpatient services, surgery schedules, ICU supervision and the training of undergraduate and postgraduate doctors, as senior faculty juggle clinical, academic and administrative roles.Responding to staffing concerns, Rima Dada, media cell in-charge at AIIMS Delhi, said recruitment efforts were ongoing. “Interviews are underway, and the process of filling vacant posts is being carried out regularly,” she said.AIIMS hospitals cater to lakhs of patients every year, many referred from district and state hospitals for complex care. The RTI data accessed by TOI underline a widening gap between rapid infrastructure expansion and the pace of faculty recruitment, raising questions about whether India’s flagship medical institutions are being staffed adequately to meet rising healthcare demand.
