AIIMS Delhi Faces Faculty Exodus Amid Internal Leadership Concerns

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi is witnessing an unprecedented wave of voluntary retirements among its senior faculty and department heads. Between 2023 and 2025, approximately 15 senior professors, including several heads of departments, have opted for early retirement, with at least 13 transitioning to the private hospital sector. Analysts and departing doctors highlight a perceived rupture in the institute’s traditional seniority-based hierarchy following recent administrative changes.

Departing faculty members have identified several compounding factors, most notably a perceived disconnect between the leadership and senior medical staff. The appointment of a younger director in 2022 reportedly exacerbated tensions regarding career progression and the value placed on long-term institutional veterans. Additionally, systemic frustrations involving bureaucratic dysfunction—such as inefficient procurement chains, excessive administrative duties cutting into patient care, and a widening salary gap compared to private healthcare facilities—have contributed to the exodus.

The departure of highly experienced specialists in fields like cardiothoracic surgery, neurology, and orthopaedics represents a significant loss of institutional knowledge for India’s premier public medical institution. The trend raises urgent questions regarding the administrative stability of public research hospitals and their ability to retain talent against lucrative private sector competition. As AIIMS attempts to balance modernization with its legacy of clinical excellence, the ongoing loss of its most decorated department heads remains a pressing internal crisis.