In response to a severe shortage of medical specialists across government hospitals, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government has initiated the hiring of retired doctors on a contractual basis. Despite claims of improving healthcare infrastructure, nearly 47% of sanctioned specialist posts remain vacant in the state.
According to official sources, 990 out of 2,098 sanctioned specialist posts are unfilled. The situation is equally concerning in the General Medical Officer (GMO) cadre, where 1,962 out of 3,847 posts (51%) are lying vacant.
To address the crisis, the Punjab Health Department has decided to recruit 100 retired specialist doctors through walk-in interviews. Applications have been invited from retired government doctors aged between 58 and 64 years, who will be appointed as consultants in district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, and community health centres (CHCs).
The recruitment will cover:
- 21 posts in Paediatrics
- 20 in General Medicine
- 20 in Gynaecology
- 15 in General Surgery
- 13 in Anaesthesia
- 7 in Radiology
- 4 in Psychiatry
These positions will be offered on a one-year contractual basis, extendable annually based on performance and finance department approval. Retired doctors will receive remuneration equivalent to their last drawn salary minus pension, plus applicable dearness allowance. However, they must not be facing any disciplinary proceedings.
Importantly, these doctors will be restricted from engaging in private practice during the contract and will focus solely on clinical duties such as OPD, inpatient care, and emergency services. They will be exempt from medico-legal, administrative, and post-mortem responsibilities.
Previous efforts to recruit regular specialist doctors have seen poor response. Only 60 doctors joined after a recent advertisement, and a 2022 attempt to fill 634 specialist posts was largely unsuccessful. Experts attribute this reluctance to pay disparities, inadequate emergency support, and frequent deployment for VVIP duties.
The move to hire retired specialists has sparked frustration among young doctors, many of whom have been waiting for recruitment since the last advertisement in November 2022.
Adding to the concern, 31 doctors who pursued post-graduation under the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) quota have left the service without completing the mandatory service period or paying the Rs 50 lakh bond they agreed to at admission. Under the PCMS bond system, doctors must serve the state for 10 years after receiving subsidized medical education.
Resignations have come from districts including Sangrur, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Mansa, Faridkot, Mohali, Tarn Taran, Ropar, and others. The health department has now ordered civil surgeons to initiate recovery proceedings and serve a 21-day notice to these doctors. If they fail to comply, action will be taken including a request to cancel their medical registration via the Punjab Medical Council or relevant authorities.
Dr. Akhil Sarin, president of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), said that 110 specialist doctors recently joined under bond obligations, and more are expected soon. He also confirmed that walk-in interviews for 160 additional specialist posts are being planned.
“These measures aim to ensure specialist healthcare reaches the underserved population,” Dr. Sarin said, adding that earlier policies—like the stalling of career progression in 2020—had discouraged specialists from choosing government service. Security concerns remain another significant deterrent.
Dr. Sarin also noted that similar post-retirement reemployment schemes were implemented in the past, and some doctors had accepted extensions then as well.
