AIIMS issues social media guidelines, bars unauthorised use of institute's name, logo
New Delhi, June 26
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, has issued comprehensive social media guidelines for its students, residents and employees, prohibiting the unauthorised use of the institute's name, logo and branding across digital and print platforms.
According to an official statement, the guidelines have been approved by the competent authority and have come into effect immediately.
The guidelines apply to students enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and super-speciality programmes, recognised student associations, faculty members, researchers, administrative staff, departments, institutional bodies and third-party collaborators associated with AIIMS.
Under the new policy, no student, employee or affiliated body will be permitted to use the name "AIIMS, New Delhi", the institute's logo, emblem or official branding without prior written approval from the concerned department. The restriction covers event posters, banners, social media posts, videos, blogs and social media handles that may suggest official representation.
The institute has also directed all affiliated individuals to maintain patient confidentiality and refrain from posting or discussing patient information, images or case details on social media, citing obligations under the Indian Medical Council Regulations, 2002, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
The guidelines further prohibit sharing copyrighted material without authorisation, posting content related to ragging, bullying, hate speech, obscenity or defamatory material, and engaging in plagiarism or sharing confidential academic material such as examination papers and answer keys.
AIIMS has laid down governance norms for official social media accounts managed by student bodies and employees. Such accounts must be registered with the concerned department, disclose the names and institutional email IDs of administrators, appoint a media coordinator for content approval, and clearly indicate whether the content is student-generated or department-generated unless officially endorsed.
The memorandum also directs account administrators to avoid posting political, religious or defamatory material, maintain a professional tone consistent with AIIMS values, and obtain special clearance before entering into sponsored collaborations with external organisations.
Warning of disciplinary and legal consequences for violations, AIIMS said misuse of the institute's identity could result in written warnings, suspension of access privileges, derecognition of student bodies and restrictions on participation in institutional activities.
The institute also reserved the right to monitor social media platforms for compliance. In cases of violations, a takedown notice will be issued, requiring the content to be removed within 12 hours.
AIIMS has directed all Heads of Departments and Chiefs of Centres to circulate the guidelines among faculty members, residents, students, researchers and administrative staff for immediate compliance.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This seems reasonable on the surface, but I hope it doesn't stifle legitimate student expression. Medical students need to share their experiences for learning and advocacy. The 12-hour takedown notice feels a bit draconian, but I understand the need for patient data protection.
Hmm, but they should focus on actual issues like patient care instead of controlling social media posts. Doctors already have a tough life. This seems like extra administrative burden for something that could be handled with simple awareness campaigns. But yes, logo misuse needs checking.
As an ex-AIIMS student, I've seen WhatsApp groups where people share exam papers like they're free Samosas. This guideline will protect academic integrity. Also good that they're preventing hate speech — social media is already toxic enough without doctors adding to it.
I appreciate the emphasis on professionalism. In the US, HIPAA violations are taken very seriously, so it's good to see India moving in a similar direction with digital data protection. The governance norms for official accounts are particularly well-structured.
But why ban political content? Doctors can have opinions too! As long as they don't use the AIIMS logo, what's the harm in sharing a political post? This feels like a subtle way to restrict free expression. Otherwise the patient privacy rules are spot on.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.