New Delhi:
Despite qualifying for a coveted teaching post at Maulana Azad Medical College, 34-year-old Dr. Aviral Mathur turned down the opportunity—citing financial insecurity. After completing his senior residency at the same institute last year, Dr. Mathur was eligible for the post of Assistant Professor. Yet, he opted for a consultant role at a non-teaching institution that offers better pay and benefits.
“Senior residents in their third year earn around ₹1.6 lakh per month, while Assistant Professors make only about ₹1.23 lakh, all inclusive. It’s ironic and demotivating. At this stage in life, when many are settling down, such disparities push young doctors away from academia,” said Dr. Mathur.
His experience echoes a troubling trend: a sharp decline in the number of young doctors applying for academic positions in government hospitals. “During my interview, the number of applicants for teaching posts was even fewer than the positions advertised. In contrast, non-teaching roles drew a far greater number of applicants,” he said.
Non-teaching specialists often earn ₹1.5 lakh or more per month and enjoy more flexible work arrangements and resignation policies—making them a more attractive option.
This growing disinterest in government medical academia is contributing to a deeper crisis in Delhi’s already strained public healthcare system. A recent RTI filed by Dr. Aman Kaushik revealed that 17% of posts in the medical officer cadre remain vacant, while the situation among specialists is even more dire—38% of such posts are unoccupied. Teaching posts are faring no better, with 22% of seats lying vacant.
Dr. Kaushik, himself a fresh MBBS graduate, said, “We spend years in intense medical training, but after graduating, we’re paid less than junior residents in many cases. It’s disheartening.”
Dr. Rohan Krishnan, Chief Patron of the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), highlighted systemic flaws. “Doctors complete three years of postgraduation followed by three years of senior residency, only to find that the pay scale as Assistant Professors or Consultants often drops by ₹20,000 to ₹30,000. It’s a broken system that discourages continued service in Delhi’s medical colleges and hospitals.”
He also criticized the over-reliance on contractual hiring, the under-advertisement of vacancies, and the lack of regular recruitment drives. “Despite nearly 1,000 doctors graduating annually in various specialties in Delhi, less than 500 positions are advertised, and sometimes, only 1% of needed posts are filled. Recruitment ads come after 2–3-year gaps, creating a bottleneck that drives many into private practice or out of Delhi altogether.”
Dr. Girish Tyagi, President of the Delhi Medical Association (DMA), echoed the concerns. “The government is prioritizing contractualization and outsourcing. Poor pay and working conditions only make matters worse.”
Nursing Workforce Facing Parallel Crisis
The crisis extends beyond doctors. Nurses—the bedrock of any healthcare system—are battling severe understaffing.
As per the Staff Inspection Unit (SIU) norms, Delhi government hospitals are short by over 8,000 nurses. Despite this alarming gap, no permanent nursing recruitment has taken place in more than a decade.
“Departments and hospital wings have expanded without proportionate nurse recruitment, violating SIU guidelines,” said Anita Panwar, Secretary of the All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNNF). “Retirements haven’t been matched with new hires, and the mandated nurse-to-patient ratio is routinely ignored. The existing workforce is overwhelmed.”
Conclusion
While the government continues to tout ambitious reforms in the healthcare sector, ground realities paint a grim picture. Vacant posts, financial disincentives, and lack of stable employment structures are driving India’s young medical workforce away from public service—at a time when the nation can least afford it.
