‘Take It Down in 12 Hours’: AIIMS Delhi Lays Down Tough New Social Media Rules for Students and Staff

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has rolled out a detailed new social media policy covering everyone connected to the institute, from students and resident doctors to faculty, staff, and recognised student bodies.

The guidelines, issued through an official memorandum dated June 22 and effective immediately, are designed to protect the institute's name and reputation while tightening rules around patient privacy, academic conduct, and online behaviour.

Who Does This Apply To?

The policy casts a wide net. It covers every student enrolled at any level - undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, or super-speciality - along with recognised student associations, societies, and clubs. Faculty, researchers, and administrative staff who post on behalf of the institute are included too, as are departments and centres running their own digital pages, and even outside collaborators given temporary access to AIIMS spaces or events.

No Using the AIIMS Name Without Permission

One of the policy's central rules is about branding: nobody may use the AIIMS name, logo, or emblem in any digital or printed material without written sign-off from the relevant department first. That restriction explicitly covers event posters and banners, social media posts, and any Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter account that gives the impression of being an official AIIMS page - along with videos, reels, or blog content using AIIMS branding for promotion.

Patient Privacy Is Non-Negotiable

The memorandum is unambiguous on one point: patient information, images, or case details can never be posted or shared on social media, even if the patient's identity isn't revealed. AIIMS grounds this requirement in the Indian Medical Council Regulations of 2002 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, making clear this isn't just an internal preference but a matter of legal compliance.

The guidelines also address copyright, instructing students and staff not to share copyrighted material without permission or proper citation, and reinforce existing anti-ragging and anti-bullying rules under UGC regulations, barring any content that harasses, threatens, or discriminates against others. Obscene, defamatory, or hateful posts are similarly off-limits.

The policy also draws a line around academic integrity in the social media space specifically - plagiarism and academic dishonesty on these platforms are prohibited, and so is sharing exam questions, answer keys, or other confidential academic material online.

Running an Official Page Now Comes With Rules

Student groups and staff managing any official-facing account must now register it with their department, listing the admin team's names, contact details, and institutional email addresses, and naming a designated media coordinator as the point of contact for approvals.

Pages must also be transparent about their status - clearly stating whether content is student-generated or department-generated, and not implying official endorsement unless that's actually the case. The rules ask account managers to avoid political or religious material, keep a professional tone in line with AIIMS values, and seek special clearance before entering into any sponsorships or brand collaborations.

What Happens If the Rules Are Broken?

Violations carry real consequences. Misusing the AIIMS name could trigger legal action, while internal discipline ranges from written warnings to suspension of a body's privileges, derecognition of student associations, or a ban on participating in institutional events.

AIIMS has also given itself active monitoring powers, the institute can review social media for compliance at any time, and if it finds a violation, it will issue a takedown notice. Once that notice goes out, the offending content must come down within 12 hours.

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