At AIIMS Delhi, 524 faculty posts are vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 1,306

NEW DELHI: Nearly four out of every 10 sanctioned faculty posts remain vacant across 11 AIIMS, exposing a deep staffing crunch at India’s premier public hospitals even as patient loads continue to rise. RTI replies accessed by TOI show that 1,600 of 4,099 faculty positions – about 39% – are lying vacant, raising concerns about the impact on patient care, specialist services and medical education.The data, compiled from RTI responses received from 11 All India Institute of Medical Sciences across different states, point to a widespread shortage cutting across both older, established AIIMS and newer institutes.At AIIMS Delhi – the country’s oldest and largest AIIMS and a national referral centre for complex cases – 524 faculty posts are vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 1,306, across key departments such as medicine, surgery, anaesthesia, paediatrics, neurology, oncology and emergency care.Several newer AIIMS are facing even higher shortages. AIIMS Jodhpur is worst hit, operating with 46.7% of faculty posts vacant (189 of 405). AIIMS Gorakhpur follows with 45.5% vacancies, while AIIMS Jammu reports a 44.3% shortfall. More than 40% of posts are also unfilled at AIIMS Kalyani and AIIMS Bilaspur. AIIMS Nagpur has 137 vacant posts out of 373 sanctioned positions, amounting to 36.7% vacancies.Other institutes show relatively lower – but still significant – shortages. AIIMS Bathinda is short of 37.4% of its faculty strength, AIIMS Raipur 34.8%, AIIMS Bhubaneswar 26%, and AIIMS Bhopal 25.6%.Health experts warn that prolonged faculty shortages at teaching hospitals affect outpatient services, surgery schedules, ICU supervision and the training of undergraduate and postgraduate doctors, as senior faculty juggle clinical, academic and administrative roles.Responding to staffing concerns, Rima Dada, media cell in-charge at AIIMS Delhi, said recruitment efforts were ongoing. “Interviews are underway, and the process of filling vacant posts is being carried out regularly,” she said.AIIMS hospitals cater to lakhs of patients every year, many referred from district and state hospitals for complex care. The RTI data accessed by TOI underline a widening gap between rapid infrastructure expansion and the pace of faculty recruitment, raising questions about whether India’s flagship medical institutions are being staffed adequately to meet rising healthcare demand.

Team India batter Sarfaraz Khan opened up about the shared dream with his younger brother, Musheer Khan, of scoring centuries in the same match during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025. Sarfaraz stated that dreams take time to come true, even when the opportunity seems within reach in the Ranji Trophy 2025.

The right-handed batter ended the year in stunning style with a brutal batting display in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He smashed 157 balls off just 75 balls, including 14 sixes, during the clash against Goa. His explosive knock helped Mumbai secure an emphatic 87-run win on Wednesday, December 31.

We Have A Common Dream Of Scoring Hundreds… – Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan stated that he and Musheer Khan have come close to scoring centuries in the same match on more than one occasion, including during the Ranji Trophy, but the milestone has narrowly slipped away each time.

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“We have a common dream of scoring hundreds in the same game. We were close in the Ranji Trophy this season and again last week, but we both got out in the fifties. Today, Musheer was batting so well and I thought we could do it. But dreams don’t come true that quickly,” Sarfaraz told the Times of India.

Musheer Was Batting Really Well – Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan said that reading the situation and relying on his one-day experience helped him settle quickly at the crease. He stated that his familiarity with ODI pacing, along with shots like the sweep and cut, gave him the confidence to play freely without hesitation.

“By the time I came to the crease, Musheer was batting really well. He was the first to reach fifty,” Sarfaraz said. “I’ve played plenty of one-dayers and I know how to pace an innings. I have a good sweep and cut, and in this format you can’t have more than five fielders out. That gives me freedom to play my shots,” he added.

Sarfaraz Khan Shines in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Sarfaraz has started the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy in superb form. He has scored 220 runs in his first three innings, with a best score of 157 off 75 balls against Goa.

In the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Sarfaraz has made 220 runs across four matches at an average of 110 and a strike rate of 170.54. Earlier, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 329 runs in seven games at an average of 65.80 and a strike rate of 203.08.

Meanwhile, Sarfaraz has not played in the IPL since 2023. He has scored 585 runs in 50 IPL matches at an average of 22.50 with a strike rate of 130.58. His last IPL season came with Delhi Capitals in 2023, where he managed an average of 13.25 and a strike rate of 85.48 in four matches.

Chennai Super Kings, who have struggled since winning their fifth title in 2023, signed him for a base price of Rs 75 lakh at the auction. They missed the playoffs in 2024 and had their worst season in 2025, winning only four of 14 matches and finishing last for the first time in IPL history.

Also read: Chennai Super Kings strictly ordered to include Sarfaraz Khan in playing XII for IPL 2026

With over 200 people from the area admitted in as many as 27 hospitals across Indore, lanes of Bhagirathpura are empty

INDORE: A deathly silence prevails in Bhagirathpura area of Indore. Barring a few people at makeshift medical camps, its lanes are empty. With over 200 people from the area admitted in as many as 27 hospitals across the city after being afflicted with diarrhoea, most residents have been away attending to the ill since Monday night when they began vomiting and developed high fever. Nine persons have died till now. Tragedy struck Bhagirathpura when a pit to clear waste from a toilet built at the local police check post began leaking, leading to the waste water mixing with the main water supply line that ran just beneath it. Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) officials said the contractor had channeled the output from the toilet to a pit above the main water supply line rather than constructing a septic tank and connecting it to the sewage line. On Thursday, even as Madhya Pradesh govt officials scrambled to fix responsibility, spruce up treatment facilities, and clean up the water supply system, Sadhana Sahu, a teacher at a private school, sat on the doorstep of her home in Bhagirathpura and wept uncontrollably. She has lost her six-month-old son. “Abhyan was born 10 years after we had a daughter. Bas, mera bachcha nahin raha (My child is no more),” Sadhana said. Abhyan’s father, Sunil Sahu, who works from home for an internet firm, said, “He had diarrhoea and fever. We took him to a doctor on Dec 26. We brought him back home after he was prescribed medicines. He was fine the next two days but suddenly developed high fever, vomited, and died at home on Monday. We couldn’t even take him to a hospital.” “The contaminated water caused his death. I had mixed water with his milk and his health deteriorated,” Sadhana said. Wailing could be heard from some of the homes where death had struck. Almost every household in Bhagirathpura – which has a population of about 15,000, most from economically weak sections living cheek-by-jowl – has one or more people afflicted. “We earn little and barely manage to survive,” said Alguram Yadav of Borasi ki Gali. His wife Urmila, 65, died on Sunday. His son Sanju, daughter-in-law Roshini and grandson Shivam (11 months) are admitted to hospitals with the same symptoms that took Urmila’s life. “Nobody had turned up to help, though some administrative officials came to check. Kailash-ji (state minister Kailash Vijayvargiya) came to hand over a Rs 2 lakh cheque as compensation, announced by the CM on Wednesday” he said.

Mumbai: Two commuters were booked, in separate instances, for posing as government officials and carrying bogus documentation to travel illegally on the Harbour line in the span of two weeks. Wadala Govt Railway Police (GRP) registered FIRs against the duo, one of whom posed as CBI official while another said he was a personnel officer with the East Central Railways. The police complaints were filed by Central Railway ticket checkers.In the latest incident on Dec 30, a ticket checker was examining tickets in the first-class coach of a CSMT-bound local around 1.20 pm. At GTB Nagar station, when the ticket checker asked to see an elderly commuter’s ticket, he said he was a govt staffer. At this, the ticket checker asked to see his identity card. The commuter flashed a plastic identity card with “CBI” on it. His name was mentioned as Badruddin Khan on the card, which had the words ‘Govt of India’ on it along with the official seal. The ticket checker sensed something amiss and demanded other supporting documentation. But the commuter responded that he was an officer on a special task and couldn’t disclose anything else. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) was alerted and the commuter was taken to their chowky.

On questioning, the commuter said he pretended to be a CBI official. He was eventually handed over to the Wadala GRP after it was confirmed that his documentation was fake. Khan was a Govandi resident.In another incident on Dec 22, a ticket examiner was checking tickets on a foot overbridge at Wadala station when a passenger said he was a railway employee. He was carrying an identity card around his neck which had “Govt of India” on it and “East Central Railway, Danapur division” underneath. The commuter’s name, Amol Godale, was on the card. Further, the card mentioned “senior personnel officer” and “commercial department, Bhabua station.” Godale’s address was listed as Nandurbar, Maharashtra. However, when quizzed for more details on his employment, Godale could not come up with a satisfactory response. He was handed over to the Wadala GRP where a case was registered.

Pune: MP and BJP’s in-charge for civic polls in Pune district, Murlidhar Mohol, on Thursday criticised deputy CM Ajit Pawar-led NCP for backing women from the families of gangsters Bandu Andekar and Gajanan Marne in the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) election.“The Pune guardian minister (Ajit Pawar) talks about cracking down on criminals and eliminating the koyta gang, but these claims seem hollow when we look at their candidate list…Maintaining law and order is the primary responsibility of elected representatives. Giving tickets to people associated with criminals will definitely disturb peace in Pune. Citizens are wise and will respond through the EVMs,” Mohol said.

Ajit Pawar’s NCP has allied with RPI (Kharat), and under this arrangement, Bandu Andekar’s daughter-in-law Sonali and sister-in-law Laxmi have filed nominations for the Raviwar Peth-Rasta Peth ward. Bandu’s son, Vanraj, had contested on an NCP ticket and won the PMC poll in 2017 but was murdered on Sept 1, 2024. Now, Sonali and Laxmi are in the fray, and although they filed nominations under RPI (Kharat), they are expected to contest on the NCP’s clock symbol.Responding, Ajit Pawar said the seats in question were allocated to RPI (Kharat) as part of the alliance. “It is that party’s decision to nominate candidates. I will issue a detailed statement on this later,” Pawar said after visiting the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.In a twist in the tale, BJP has also fielded Pratibha Chorge, wife of Rohidas, who has a criminal record. When asked about this, Mohol said, “Pratibha has been involved in social work and has no criminal charges against her. Now that her husband’s record has come up, the party will review the matter.”BOX:BJP candidate withdraws nomination after online trollingPrasad.KulkarniPune: Puja More, the BJP candidate from Ward number 2 of PMC, withdrew her nomination on Wednesday, citing trolling on social media over her past remarks.In earlier posts, More had made critical comments about CM Devendra Fadnavis. Speaking to reporters after her withdrawal, she said, “Social media played a significant role in previous elections. If misleading information about me is being circulated online, it could harm the party’s image. Therefore, I chose to step down as the BJP candidate.”Speaking on her decision, Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol said, “Some party workers opposed her candidature. The party collectively decided to replace the candidate for that seat.”

Aditya Dhar‘s spy thriller ‘Dhurandhar’ is showing no signs of stopping at the box office since its release in theaters on December 5, 2025. The movie has surpassed the collections of ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawan’, ‘Chhaava’, and many more. While the film has garnered massive appreciation from the audiences, a section of people have hailed it as a “propaganda” owing to the politics shown in it. In a new developement, latest reports have indicated that the makers are set to re-release the movie with a revised version. Let’s learn more about it right here.

‘Dhurandhar’ to re-release in theaters with revised version

According to a Bollywood Hungama report, cinema halls across the nation received an e-mail from the distributors on December 31, 2025, informing them about the replacement of the DCP of the film. The source told the publication, “The reason for the change is that the makers have muted two words and changed a dialogue in the film, as per the directives received from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India.”

Reportedly, the cinemas have been asked to download the new version of the movie and play it from January 1, 2026. The insider further told the website, “One of the words removed from the new version of Dhurandhar is ‘Baloch’.”

More about ‘Dhurandhar’

Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ will be completing a month since its release in theaters. The movie has crossed the Rs 1100 crore mark in global box office earnings. Meanwhile in India, the film has surpassed Rs 720 crore in collections on its 27th day. The film stars Ranveer Singh as the lead actor. He plays the role of an Indian spy who infiltrates a terror group in Lyari Town, Pakistan. While the film is enjoying its dream run in cinemas, it has been banned in all Gulf countries.Apart from Singh, it also stars Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi in prominent roles. The cast also includes Naveen Kaushik, Saumya Tandon, Naseem Mughal, Danish Pandor, and Gaurav Gera in pivotal roles.Part of the film is scheduled to hit theaters on March 19, 2026.

Though England are still left with a game in the series, the ECB is expected to intervene in Brendon McCullum’s future plans with the English Test side. Top executives from the ECB are expected to fly to Australia for talks with the England management mid-tour.

The Ashes Test series defeat has largely affected England’s campaigns and their strategies. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, the successful coach-captain duo for England, have struggled against the disciplined Aussies, and the flaws of Bazball have been exposed.

England are slowly coming on track from the fourth Test, which they won at the MCG. However, cricket experts have called it an absolute lottery, since the pitch was completely unpredictable and was deemed unsatisfactory.

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ECB chief executive to fly to Australia for talks with Brendon McCullum

England’s Ashes campaign may have a Test left; however, ECB executives are flying off to the island nation for a face-to-face discussion with the touring party. As per reports on the Daily Mail, Richard Gould is expected to travel to Sydney for crunch talks on the future of the England head coach, Brendon McCullum.

England not only lost the three-match series in Australia but was also crushed by the opposition. The Aussies dominated the English across every inning of the first three Tests; at times, they came from behind and defeated the English, leading to escalated humiliation.

The fourth Test has not erased the impact of the series defeat in Australia and the way they have lost all those games. Brendon McCullum’s ignorant attitude has further escalated things, as he once blamed overpreparation and once claimed that things did not go as planned, instead of simply accepting the fact that they had failed.

Sudden ECB visit will focus on a series debrief

The ECB is not visiting Australia all of a sudden without any major concern. McCullum’s public statements have revealed that he wishes to continue as the coach of the England National Men’s side. His contract with the ECB also extends to around the ICC World Cup 2027.

McCullum, despite the failures, has dressing room support, as even senior batters like Joe Root, who is now the greatest ever batter from Europe, have claimed that any decision to rip up the management midstream is not a good plan.

The immediate focus for the visit would be a debrief on what went wrong in the ongoing Ashes series and whether the current England structure is giving Ben Stokes the liberty and depth to support long hours.

Bazball looks at SCG to remain standing its ground for survival

This is hence evident from all these that England will have to review several bigger issues than Brendon McCullum’s sacking. The balance within the Bazball intent has been repeatedly questioned, and so has the selection strategy. The players should know when to accelerate and when to take control of the innings.

The Sydney Test is crucial from England’s point of view, not only because winning it would save England’s reputation with a 3-2 defeat in the Ashes, but also due to the fact that it would provide McCullum and Stokes the clarity of approach and help them during the post-Ashes post-mortem.

England still have several crucial series coming this year, as they will host New Zealand for a three-match series and then host Pakistan later this year for another home series. Ahead of these home series, England would look to regain the Bazball momentum.

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