Over 400 AIIMS doctors have resigned in 2yrs; but why
What's the story
In a shocking trend, 429 doctors have resigned from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) across India between 2022 and 2024. The data was recently shared in Parliament. The highest number of resignations—52—was reported at AIIMS Delhi. In comparison, AIIMS Rishikesh saw 38 resignations, followed by 35 at AIIMS Raipur, 32 from AIIMS Bilaspur, 30 from Mangalagiri, and 27 from Bhopal.
Nationwide trend
Resignations across branches
According to data accessed by India Today, the resignations in AIIMS Delhi were mostly at senior levels, including department heads and senior professors. Among the high-profile exits is former AIIMS director Dr. Randeep Guleria, who took an early voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and joined Medanta Hospital. Other notable resignations include Dr. Shiv Chaudhary (former head of cardiology), Dr. Shashank Sharad Kale (former head of neurosurgery), Dr. Alok Thakkar (former head of ENT department) and Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar (former anesthesiology head).
Discontent grows
Salary disparity driving doctors away
Asked about the mass resignations, a former department head cited lack of leadership. "If it was about money, then I would have taken this step many years ago. He (director AIIMS Delhi) has created an environment of mistrust and inefficiency. This was never the case in earlier times," the former faculty member told India Today. The salary of a senior doctor at AIIMS ranges between ₹2-2.5 lakh a month, while private hospitals offer four to 10 times more.
Doctor
Politics and favoritism
"I felt stuck...I couldn't even make decisions for my department. Decision-making had completely collapsed," he added. Another former head said politics and favoritism drove many committed professionals away from the institution. "We work day and night in AIIMS because we are committed to society...This image has now changed." "Not everyone leaves for corporate jobs and salaries. Many committed....people have also left AIIMS because of politics and favoritism toward those who are less experienced," he said on the condition of anonymity.
Unmet expectations
Infrastructure challenges and political issues
The mass resignation has raised concerns about the credibility of AIIMS Delhi. A former head said while AIIMS is still an excellent institution for young doctors, experienced practitioners are hard to find due to mismanagement. Another sticking point is that the rotatory headship policy aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability remains unimplemented despite directions from the Health Ministry. Infrastructure challenges also plague newer AIIMS branches, with inadequate housing and poor connectivity making postings unattractive.
Staffing crisis
Staffing crisis at AIIMS Delhi
In the last three years, 1,191 faculty positions were sanctioned in AIIMS Delhi, but 364 remain vacant. In fact, faculty vacancies at AIIMS are at a four-year high in the academic year 2025-26 at 2,561 (out of 6,376 sanctioned), the highest since 2022-23, the government recently told Parliament. Currently, 19 out of 23 AIIMS are fully functional. AIIMS Madurai (Tamil Nadu) is partially functional, while the ones in Awantipora (Jammu and Kashmir), Darbhanga (Bihar), and Rewari (Haryana) are under construction.