Dr Nikhil Tandon is set to take over as the interim director of AIIMS Delhi, following the appointment of incumbent AIIMS chief Dr M Srinivas as a member of NITI Aayog, official sources told exclusively to The Tribune.
Dr Tandon, is a professor and head of the endocrinology department and metabolism, while is also dean of academics at AIIMS Delhi.
Apart from this he has worked extensively on diabetes and cardiovascular disease in India’s public health system and has advised both government bodies and the World Health Organization on non-communicable diseases.
On the other hand, Dr M Srinivas is expected to move to his new role in the coming days, triggering a transition at India’s premier medical institute.
Sources also indicated that Tandon, currently among the senior-most deans at AIIMS, fits the institutional convention where a senior administrative figure steps in as acting director during a leadership vacancy.
At AIIMS Delhi, interim charge is typically not a discretionary pick but follows an internal seniority and administrative hierarchy. However, the appointment of a full-time director at AIIMS Delhi follows a centralised process led by the government, with the final decision taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister.
Candidates are first shortlisted by a Search-cum-Selection Committee, typically comprising senior health officials, based on experience and eligibility. The names are then reviewed by the institute’s governing body and forwarded to the ministry of health, after which the ACC clears the appointment. The selected candidate serves a five-year term or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
The transition comes at a time when AIIMS Delhi remains a critical public healthcare and policy institution, making leadership continuity crucial even as the formal selection process unfolds.
With Dr M Srinivas moving to a policy role at NITI Aayog, the spotlight now shifts to how quickly the government moves to appoint a full-time successor at AIIMS Delhi.
