More than 23,000 sanctioned posts are lying vacant across 28 hospitals and medical institutions under the Union Health Ministry, according to data presented in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel furnished the details in response to a question raised by CPI(M) member V. Sivadasan.
The data show that the 18 AIIMS institutions have 4,850 sanctioned faculty posts for 2026-27, of which 1,645 posts remain vacant. This accounts for nearly 34% of the sanctioned faculty strength.
AIIMS New Delhi alone has 2,921 vacancies. Of the 1,313 sanctioned faculty posts, 873 are currently filled, leaving 440 vacant. In the non-faculty category, 11,432 of the 13,913 sanctioned posts have been filled, while 2,481 posts remain vacant.
The data also indicate a decline in the number of sanctioned posts at some institutions. The large number of vacancies across central healthcare institutions has raised concerns over staffing levels and their potential impact on healthcare delivery, medical education and hospital operations.
