Punjab looks to hire 1,000 docs to meet acute shortage, plans to wrap up hirings by end of year
Chandigarh: To address the chronic shortage of doctors across its health facilities, Punjab govt is gearing up to initiate a large-scale recruitment drive to hire 1,000 medical officers. This decision comes on the heels of the state's recruitment of 400 medical officers—a process that began last year after a gap of four years.
The shortfall of nearly 1,000 sanctioned posts lying vacant has severely impacted healthcare delivery, particularly in border and rural regions. The issue was prominently raised during the recent budget session, with even legislators from incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) flagging the absence of doctors in their constituencies.
Health minister Dr Balbir Singh assured the assembly that the govt was committed to addressing the gap, and this recruitment initiative is a step toward fulfilling this promise. Despite each district in Punjab having at least one district hospital, many have poor infrastructure, face human resource shortages, and have inadequate service delivery. Alarmingly, only 45% of these hospitals meet the required doctor staffing norms. The state's doctor-to-population ratio stands at 1.02 per 1,000—well below the national average of 1:811.
To improve public healthcare access and quality, Punjab set an ambitious target of increasing this ratio to 2 doctors per 1,000 people by 2030, and to 4 by 2047. The govt also committed to formulating fresh recruitment and promotion policies, while increasing MBBS seats in state medical colleges. The upcoming recruitment plan was discussed in detail on April 17 during a meeting between principal (health secretary) Kumar Rahul, director (health services) Dr Hitinder Kaur, and a delegation from Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA).
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Officials said the drive will be launched shortly, and they intend to wrap it up by the end of this year.
Welcoming the move, PCMSA president Dr Akhil Sarin reiterated the need for regular hiring of PCMS doctors to fortify Punjab's public health infrastructure. "A robust and continuous recruitment process is essential to ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable populations," said Dr Sarin. He urged the govt to expedite the hiring process.
However, attracting young talent remains a major challenge. Punjab currently offers an entry-level basic salary of Rs 53,100—significantly lower than the central scale of Rs 67,100 and Haryana's Rs 56,100. The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has been demanding a revision of the pay structure to bring it in line with neighbouring states and central norms, making govt jobs more competitive and appealing. In addition, PCMSA has been advocating for a secure working environment for medical professionals, along with the provision of adequate equipment and support staff to ensure optimal services for the general public.
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