(a) whether attention of the Government has been drawn to the newsitem captioned `Patient care suffers due to AIIMS policy` appeared in the `Hindu` dated July 6, 2002;
(b) if so, whether several appointments of Assistant Professors have been made only on adhoc basis;
(c) if so, whether posts of Professors are not filled as per sanctioned strength due to which patients are suffering a lot; and
(d) the corrective steps Government propose to take in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI A. RAJA)
(a)to(d): It is not true that the Patient`s care services are suffering in the absence of appointment to the Post of Assistant Professors at the Institute. Ad-hoc appointment at the level of Assistant Professors at the Institute had to be resorted to due to interim orders passed by the Hon`ble High Court of Delhi on 15.11.1994 in a Civil Writ Petition filed by the Faculty in the AIIMS on the issue of reservation in faculty posts. At present about 135 Assistant Professors are working on ad-hoc basis. The Hon`ble High Court has since delivered the judgement on 26.11.2001 and as directed by the Hon`ble Court, vacant posts of Assistant Professors in various disciplines have been advertised with reservation as per Government Rules, for making regular appointment. The process of selection to these posts have already been started. There are 110 Posts of Professors in the Institute out of which only 11 Posts of Professors are vacant. Steps have also been initiated for making regular appointments.