States Responsible for Public Health Staffing
The government clarified that recruitment and availability of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff in state-run hospitals are handled by respective State Governments. As a result, data related to vacancies in state healthcare facilities is not maintained centrally.
However, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare maintains vacancy data for centrally administered hospitals and institutions under its direct control, providing a clearer picture of staffing challenges at the national level.
Vacancies in Central Government Hospitals
According to official data, key central institutions such as Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated hospitals, and Rural Health Training Centres continue to face vacancies across medical, nursing and paramedical cadres.
The data reveals gaps between sanctioned and filled positions, particularly among nursing and paramedical staff, underscoring the broader workforce challenge in tertiary care institutions serving large patient populations.
New Medical Colleges to Bridge the Gap
To address the long-term shortage of doctors, the Centre is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the establishment of new medical colleges attached to existing district and referral hospitals. The scheme prioritises underserved areas, aspirational districts and regions without any government or private medical colleges.
Under this initiative, 157 government medical colleges have been approved so far. Of these, 137 have already become operational, significantly boosting undergraduate medical seats and strengthening local healthcare systems.
The funding pattern under the scheme is designed to support states equitably, with a 90:10 Centre-State ratio for North Eastern and Special Category States, and 60:40 for other states.
National Health Mission Incentives
The National Health Mission plays a crucial role in addressing workforce shortages by providing financial, technical and human resource support to States and Union Territories based on their Programme Implementation Plans.
Several targeted incentives have been introduced to encourage doctors and healthcare workers to serve in rural, remote and difficult areas where shortages are most acute.
Key Incentives for Doctors and Health Workers
Specialist doctors serving in hard and remote areas are eligible for hard area allowances. Additional honorariums are provided to gynecologists, pediatricians, anesthetists and Emergency Obstetric Care-trained doctors to improve access to critical services.
Incentives are also offered to doctors and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives for ensuring timely antenatal care, adolescent reproductive health activities and essential community outreach services.
States have been given flexibility to offer negotiable salaries under innovative approaches such as “You Quote, We Pay” to attract specialists. Non-monetary incentives, including preferential admission to postgraduate courses and improved rural accommodation, further support workforce retention.
Focus on Skill Development and Multi-Skilling
The NHM also supports multi-skilling of doctors to address specialist shortages, along with continuous skill upgradation of existing healthcare staff. These measures aim to improve service delivery and overall health outcomes, especially in resource-constrained settings.
Through a combination of infrastructure expansion, financial incentives and skill development, the government aims to create a sustainable and resilient healthcare workforce capable of meeting India’s growing health needs.
