AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria’s term extended by three months, search on for new chief

Dr Guleria took over as AIIMS director in 2017 and has been at the helm of the premier medical institute through the coronavirus pandemic. He is the only director of the institute to have completed the five-year term since the limit was introduced in 2007 amidst tussle between the then health minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss and the AIIMS director Dr P Venugopal. Others, including the previous director Dr MC Misra, retired at the age of 65 years before completing the five-year term.

A search and selection committee is currently looking at applications for replacing the director. There are at least 12 doctors from within the institute who have applied for the position. The director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Balram Bhargava, is also in the running for the post and was one of the three finalists for the job in 2017, with current NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul as the third candidate.

The others from the institute who have applied for the position include Dr Rajesh Malhotra, director of the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre associated with the hospital, Dr Nikhil Tandon, the head of the department of endocrinology, Dr M V Padma Shrivastava, chief of neurosciences centre, Dr AK Bisoi, a professor of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, Dr Sunil Chumber, head of the department of surgery, and Dr Sudhir Gupta, head of the department of forensic medicine.

At least 19 people from outside the institute have also applied for the position.