Punjab sets March 10 deadline for new docs to join or lose job

Chandigarh: Punjab's attempt to strengthen public healthcare is once again running into a familiar problem. More than a month after appointment letters were issued, several newly selected medical officers are yet to join duty, highlighting the state's continuing struggle to attract and retain talent in public hospitals.To tackle the shortage of doctors, the Punjab health department had initiated a phased recruitment of 1,000 medical officers (general). Under the ongoing recruitment drive, and following selections conducted through Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, appointment letters were issued to 170 eligible candidates on Jan 29. As per the appointment conditions, the selected doctors were to report to their assigned postings immediately. However, several doctors are yet to join their stations. Concerned over the delay, the directorate of health and family welfare has issued a public notice, asking all selected candidates to report for duty by March 10. The notice states that any candidate who fails to join by March 10 will be considered to have declined the appointment. In such cases, the offer will stand cancelled automatically, and no separate notice will be issued. A senior health official said the department is compiling a list of doctors, and the exact number of those who did not join will be clear after the deadline lapses on March 10. The situation reflects a recurring challenge faced by the state in filling govt medical posts. Earlier, in the same recruitment process, appointment letters were issued to 322 candidates on Aug 19 and 381 candidates on Sept 4, 2025, but many selected doctors did not report for duty, forcing the health department to issue similar warnings. A similar situation arose during a recruitment drive in 2024, when the state advertised 400 posts of medical officer (general) after a four-year gap. Ultimately, only 284 candidates joined, leaving several posts vacant. The state also attempted to recruit 634 specialist doctors in 2022, but the response from applicants was far lower than expected. Low pay and heavy workload citedThe limited interest among young doctors in govt service has often been attributed to relatively lower pay and the demanding nature of the job. Ar present, the entry-level salary for a medical officer in Punjab stands at Rs 53,100, which is about 21% less than the central govt's starting pay of Rs 67,100 and also lower than Haryana's Rs 56,100. Apart from regular clinical responsibilities, govt doctors are frequently required to handle additional tasks, including emergency duties, postmortems, medico-legal work, and various administrative or VIP-related assignments. The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has consistently asked the state govt to review the salary structure and bring it in line with the pay offered by neighbouring states and the central govt. It has also emphasised the need for stronger workplace safety, sufficient support staff, and improved medical facilities so that doctors can deliver healthcare services effectively. The body has also been advocating for financial incentives for performance beyond the stipulated benchmarks which could serve as a much-needed pull factor to attract and retain doctors.Matter under court scrutiny The shortage of doctors in govt health institutions also came under judicial scrutiny. The Punjab and Haryana high court is currently hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Bhisham Kinger of Malerkotla, which highlights concerns over gaps in infrastructure and manpower in govt hospitals. During earlier hearings, the court asked the state govt to provide updates on recruitment progress and the timeline for filling vacant medical posts.