By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Thursday announced the setting up of an 11-member committee, headed by Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, to select a new head for the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
The decision was taken at the Institute Body Meeting, the apex body of the organisation. The meeting was chaired by the health minister.
After the one-and-half-hour meeting, Health Secretary Naresh Dayal told reporters that they had received applications from 70 doctors for the post of director of AIIMS.
“We had a one point agenda to form the committee – to search and select the new AIIMS director. The selection committee was finalised today and the health minister would be chairing it,” Dayal said.
He said the first meeting of the committee would be held July 31.
“The committee has been mandated to select and propose the names of two people, to be recommended to the institute body, which will take a decision,” he said.
But a final decision would be taken by the central government’s appointments committee, Dayal added.
On May 24, the government invited nominations from Indians, non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin for the post. July 10 was the last day to submit the application.
AIIMS was mired in controversy with former director P. Venugopal, who this month retired, involved in a bitter turf war with Ramadoss.