The Faculty Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (FAIMS) cautioned that any change to the name of the institute might result in "loss of identity" for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.
According to the letter written by the FAIMS to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday, all its members opposed the move.
"The name is linked to one's identity. When an institution's identity is lost, it loses institutional recognition both within and outside of the country. That is why famous and established institutes like Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard universities have had the same names for centuries," the letter written to the minister read, as reported by PTI.
According to the FAIMS, if the proposal is accepted, the esteemed medical institute will suffer a significant loss of identity and demoralisation.
"Hence, FAIMS requests you to please do not consider any proposal for changing the name of AIIMS Delhi. This will help to maintain the premier and mentor institute status of AIIMS Delhi with respect to others in the country," the letter added.
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.
The FAIMS also requested a meeting with the health minister to discuss long-pending issues such as autonomy, on-campus housing, and administration reform (headship rotation).
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.
(With inputs from PTI)
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