Call for Democratic Leadership Gains Momentum; Letters Sent to Union Health Minister
New Delhi — As calls intensify for implementing Rotatory Headship—a democratic and transparent system of academic leadership—the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Delhi Medical Association (DMA) have thrown their weight behind the faculty associations of AIIMS, Delhi and PGIMER, Chandigarh.
In a formal communication to Union Health Minister J P Nadda, the IMA affirmed its full support to the joint representation made by the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS) and Faculty Association of PGIMER (FA-PGIMER). The letter highlights that the reform has been a long-standing recommendation by various internal committees and is already functional in reputed institutions like IITs, IIMs, JIPMER, NIMHANS, BHU, and CMC Vellore.
IMA Cites Global Best Practices
Quoting global standards, the IMA noted that rotatory academic leadership is a norm in internationally acclaimed universities such as Harvard and Oxford, and adopting the same in India would reflect a commitment to equity, transparency, and global governance benchmarks.
“Timely implementation of this model will reinforce academic fairness and help India align with the best practices followed worldwide,” the IMA stated in its letter.
DMA Highlights Delay and Demoralisation
The DMA also addressed a letter to the Union Health Minister, expressing concern over the continued delay in implementing the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s (MoHFW) July 2023 directive on the matter. Despite the policy being greenlit nearly a year ago, it has yet to be enforced, the DMA pointed out.
“This prolonged delay has demoralized dedicated faculty, caused institutional stagnation, and undermined the principles of fairness and accountability in academic leadership,” the letter said.
The DMA urged the Centre to institutionalize Rotatory Headship as a national policy applicable to all centrally funded and NMC-recognized medical institutions across India.
Faculty Associations Demand Urgent Action
Both FAIMS and FA-PGIMER have persistently called for the immediate enforcement of Rotatory Headship to end what they see as prolonged administrative monopolies and promote a more inclusive academic environment.
This demand gained fresh traction after both associations staged a joint protest on Doctors’ Day, stressing that the delay has hampered morale and institutional progress.
With growing support from national medical bodies, the pressure is now mounting on the Health Ministry to act swiftly and implement a leadership system that upholds democracy, transparency, and meritocracy in India’s top medical institutions.
