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Opposing any change to the name of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, the Faculty Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (FAIMS) cautioned that it may lead to the institute suffering “loss of identity”. The association further said it had sought opinion from all faculty members about the proposal of Health Ministry and all were unanimously against the move.
In its letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the association said it came to know about a proposal to change the name of AIIMS, Delhi, from the media.
“We believe that AIIMS Delhi will suffer severe loss of identity and demoralisation if the name is changed. Hence, FAIMS requests you to please not consider any proposal for changing the name of AIIMS Delhi.”
“This will help to maintain premier and mentor institute status of AIIMS Delhi with respect to others in the country,” it further said.
AIIMS was created in 1956 “with a trinity of mission for medical education, research and patient care”. “It has fulfilled its mission right since its inception. As of now, it is consistently ranked first in the NIRF rankings of medical institutions,” FAIMS noted.
“Identity is linked with the name. If identity is lost, institutional recognition is lost both within the country and outside. That is why famous and established institutes have continued with the same names for centuries - Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard universities,” it said.
Currently, the various AIIMS set up or being set up under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) are known by the generic name AIIMS, distinguished only by the place of their location.
While the Health Ministry has so far not confirmed the news about the name change, FAIMS has requested the Minister to give an appointment for a meeting to discuss long-pending issues related to autonomy, in-campus accommodation, and administrative reform (rotation of headship) at AIIMS, Delhi.
