Recruitment delay in mental health services causing public prejudice, says Chhattisgarh HC

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh high court observed that the continued pendency in recruitment for specialised posts, particularly in the field of mental healthcare, causes serious prejudice to the public at large. The court added that seeking time on procedural grounds in such circumstances does not appear to be justified. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal was hearing a matter regarding vacancies in the state health department on March 24. “This court expects and trusts that the State shall make earnest efforts to complete the recruitment process for the post of MD Psychiatrist at the earliest and avoid any unwarranted delay,” the Bench said

Following the court's earlier directions on February 4, 2026, the secretary of the health and family welfare department filed a fresh affidavit on March 23. The affidavit stated that since no candidates were selected for the post of psychiatrists following an advertisement on April 22, 2025, fresh recruitment steps have begun.

A proposal to recruit six MD Psychiatrists through the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) was forwarded on March 5, 2026. The matter is currently with the Administrative Department to obtain financial approval.

The state highlighted that limited postgraduate intake at Pt JNM Medical College, Raipur—which has only three seats for MD Psychiatry—limits the pool of eligible specialists.

To address this, the government is enforcing the Chhattisgarh Medical Post-Graduate Admission Rules, 2025. This requires candidates to serve the state for two years or pay a bond of Rs 50 lakh (unreserved) or Rs 40 lakh (reserved). Currently, two doctors have joined duties under this bond.

Amicus curiae Abhishek Sinha argued that seeking fresh financial sanction for the same posts unnecessarily prolongs the process. In response, the Additional Advocate General stated that such approvals are a procedural requirement for every fresh recruitment cycle.

The court noted that since financial approval was granted previously, seeking it again should be a mere formality. "The process must proceed with due expedition," the bench remarked.

The court directed the health secretary to file a further affidavit regarding the updated status of the recruitment process.

The state informed the court that recruitment for several other positions is at various stages.

Clinical Psychologists and Counselors: Nine candidates have been shortlisted and document verification was completed on March 9, 2026. Recommendations for appointment orders were sent to the state government on 13 March 2026.

Pathologists: One candidate has been recommended for selection.

Class-III and Class-IV Posts: Provisional merit lists for Staff Nurses, Rural Health Coordinators, Ward Boys, and Ward Aayas have been uploaded to the departmental website. These lists include COVID-19 bonus marks as per government orders.