In a major institutional move toward professionalising its public outreach and digital engagement, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi has decided to appoint an external agency to handle its public relations, social media management, and communications strategy. The agency will also assist in setting up and maintaining a museum of archives to preserve the institute’s rich history, according to an official order issued on October 14.

This marks the first time India’s premier medical institution will formally engage a professional communications agency for comprehensive media management. The tender will be floated on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, and the onboarding process is expected to be completed by December 31, the order said.

Strengthening AIIMS’ Public Interface

The decision follows an institutional review aimed at improving AIIMS Delhi’s public communication systems, which have become increasingly crucial amid rapid digitalisation and heightened public scrutiny of healthcare institutions.

“In accordance with the need to strengthen institutional communications, enhance public engagement, and ensure effective dissemination of credible information through traditional and digital platforms, it has been decided that a specialised agency be engaged for comprehensive public relations and social media management services at AIIMS Delhi,” the order stated.

The agency will coordinate with the AIIMS Media Cell to plan and execute media relations, press releases, and public information campaigns. It will also assist in crisis communication, health advisories, and major institutional announcements, ensuring consistent and accurate messaging across platforms.

Monitoring Digital Sentiment

One of the agency’s primary mandates will be to manage the institute’s social media presence across all major platforms, ensuring “high-quality, timely content and proactive engagement.” The order specifies that the agency will be responsible for monitoring digital sentiment—tracking public perceptions and conversations about AIIMS on digital channels.

Through analytics and periodic reports, the agency will assess the impact and reach of AIIMS’ communication activities, allowing the institution to respond more effectively to misinformation or emerging issues. The initiative aims to make AIIMS’ digital communications more transparent, data-driven, and responsive to the public.

The agency’s work will also include supporting AIIMS in its interactions with the press and public, particularly during sensitive situations such as health emergencies or policy controversies, where consistent and factual communication is critical.

Improving Data Management for Rankings and Surveys

The order also highlights the need for accurate and timely submission of data for national and international ranking systems, such as the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and QS World University Rankings.

“While AIIMS faculty and officials can guide the collection of appropriate data, they are usually over-occupied with their routine work, due to which the timelines of data submission are often missed,” the order noted.

The external agency will, therefore, support data collection, collation, and verification, ensuring that all information provided to ranking and survey agencies is complete and formatted correctly. By streamlining this process, AIIMS hopes to strengthen its standing in global academic and research evaluations.

Museum of Archives: Preserving the Legacy of AIIMS

Beyond communications, the selected agency will play a vital role in establishing a “museum of archives”—a project aimed at documenting and preserving AIIMS Delhi’s seven-decade-long history.

“To document and maintain accurate records of the glorious past of AIIMS New Delhi, it was decided vide OM dated 31 March 2023 to establish a museum of archives at AIIMS, Delhi. However, the concerned officials had expressed the requirement of supporting hands for documenting the rich history of AIIMS and for collecting various archives,” the order noted.

The agency will assist in identifying, collecting, cataloguing, and digitising vital records, historical documents, photographs, awards, and memorabilia relevant to the institution. It will also curate and display archival materials in line with museum and documentation best practices, ensuring professional preservation and exhibition standards.

The museum is envisioned as both an educational and heritage project, showcasing AIIMS’ contributions to medical education, research, and public health in India since its establishment in 1956. Officials said the archives would serve as an important institutional memory and a source of inspiration for future medical professionals.

A Step Toward Institutional Transparency

AIIMS officials said the move to hire an external agency reflects a broader push for institutional transparency and better stakeholder communication. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of reliable, real-time information dissemination from medical institutions, especially those at the forefront of national healthcare response.

By adopting a more structured communication strategy, AIIMS Delhi hopes to ensure that accurate information reaches the public promptly, minimizing misinformation and building trust. The monitoring of “digital sentiment” will help the institute gauge public perception and adapt its outreach strategies accordingly.

The integration of PR, media management, and archival documentation under one professional framework also marks a shift in how India’s top medical institution views its public engagement—not merely as an administrative task but as a strategic institutional function central to its reputation and accountability.

Once implemented, this initiative is expected to set a precedent for other premier institutions to adopt professional communication and heritage management frameworks, bridging the gap between administrative efficiency and public awareness.