The institute has designated June 15 as a working day, during which all faculty members will report for duty and formally hand over responsibilities to colleagues.PGIMER has released the summer vacation schedule for its teaching faculty in two phases with the first phase from May 16 to June 14, followed by the second one from June 16 to July 15.As per the orders issued by the Establishment Branch-I (Faculty Section), the leave period was divided into phases with at least 50 per cent of the faculty required to remain on duty at any given time.This was to maintain hospital services and a clear focus on ensuring uninterrupted patient care.However, the institute has designated June 15 as a working day, during which all faculty members will report for duty and formally hand over responsibilities to colleagues.The PGI administration has directed all department heads to prepare duty rosters and submit them within 15 days. The rosters must ensure adequate staffing during both the phases. The order also states that no faculty member will be allowed to avail of leave in both phases simultaneously.Additionally, splitting the leave into smaller segments is also not permitted, as it could disrupt workflow and affect patient services.Only faculty members who have completed more than six months of service will be eligible for the summer vacation. Those with less than six months will not be entitled for the leave this year.Story continues below this adThe administration has also imposed restrictions on combining leave with other forms of absence.The faculty members will not be allowed to take conference leave, LTC or any earned leave during the alternate phase after availing vacation in one phase.Participation in any national or international conferences will only be permitted during the period when the faculty member is officially on leave.The institute has also issued separate guidelines for faculty posted at the PGI satellite centre, Sangrur. They will be required to route their leave applications through their respective department heads in Chandigarh to ensure proper staffing arrangements.Story continues below this adAccording to the administration, the structured vacation schedule aims to balance the need for faculty to rest with the institute’s responsibility to provide uninterrupted healthcare services.The plan was designed like the previous years to ensure that patient care remains the top priority, even during the vacation period.