Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who is also the president of AIIMS, Delhi ordered the extension of his tenure by three months or till the time a new director is appointed for the medical institute.
Dr. Guleria, a noted pulmonologist, has played a key role in India’s covid-19 management and was appointed as AIIMS director in 2017 for a period of five years. He had received an extension for three months earlier in March.
“President, AIIMS is pleased to extend his tenure as Director, AIIMS (New Delhi) with effect from 25-6-2022 or by three months or by the time new director is appointed, whichever is earlier," stated Rabindra Kumar Agarwal, Deputy Director Administration (AIIMS) in an office memorandum reviewed by Mint.
While other terms and conditions of his appointment would be in accordance with the rules of the institute, the office memorandum stated.
A spokesperson for the union ministry of health and family welfare could not be immediately contacted for comments.
The government is still in the process to appoint a new director for AIIMS with the union ministry of health and family welfare constituting a four-member committee to search the right candidate for the top post at AIIMS, Delhi.
Recently, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the prime minister sought a wider panel of names for the post of director of the AIIMS- Delhi after they received three names of AIIMS doctors --Nikhil Tandon, head of the department of endocrinology; Rajesh Malhotra, chief of AIIMS Trauma Centre and the head of the department of orthopaedics; and Pramod Garg, professor in the gastroenterology department.
The members of the committee are— Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary of Department of Biotechnology Rajesh S. Gokhale, Delhi University vice chancellor Yogesh Singh received applications from at-least 32 candidates across the country including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Balram Bhargava have been received for the post.
