A significant number of doctors have left India’s premier government medical institutions with 429 doctors resigning from 20 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) between 2022 and 2024, according to data shared by the Union government in Parliament. The figures have raised concerns about faculty shortages and the growing migration of medical professionals from public institutions. The information was provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha regarding doctors leaving AIIMS institutions for private-sector opportunities and other professional reasons. Officials stated that the resignations were attributed to a combination of personal and professional factors.
AIIMS Delhi Records Highest Resignations
Among all AIIMS institutions, the highest number of resignations was reported from All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi, where 52 doctors resigned during the three-year period. Other institutes witnessing substantial departures included:
- AIIMS Rishikesh – 38 resignations
- AIIMS Raipur – 35 resignations
- AIIMS Bilaspur – 32 resignations
- AIIMS Mangalagiri – 30 resignations
Several other AIIMS campuses across the country also reported double-digit resignations indicating that the issue is not confined to a few institutions but is spread across the AIIMS network.
Faculty Shortages Add to Concerns
The resignations come at a time when AIIMS institutions are already facing a shortage of faculty members. Government data indicates that nearly one out of every three faculty positions remains vacant across the 20 AIIMS institutions affecting both medical education and healthcare services. Experts warn that continued attrition could further strain patient care, research activities and specialist training programs.
Why Are Doctors Leaving?
While the government has not released a detailed study on the reasons behind the resignations, reports suggest that many doctors are attracted by better salaries, improved working conditions and greater career opportunities in the private healthcare sector or overseas institutions. Some experts have described the trend as a form of “brain drain” from India’s public healthcare system.
Growing Challenge for Public Healthcare
AIIMS institutions are considered among India’s most prestigious medical centers and play a critical role in tertiary healthcare, medical education and research. Healthcare analysts caution that persistent faculty vacancies and high resignation rates could affect the quality of healthcare delivery especially in newer AIIMS campuses established to improve medical access in underserved regions.
The government has not yet announced any specific policy measures to curb the outflow of doctors but the issue has sparked discussion about recruitment, retention and working conditions within India’s public healthcare institutions.