Karnataka Govt approves 55 per cent pay hike for NHM doctors, nurses

Bengaluru: In a major move to attract more healthcare professionals to government hospitals, the Karnataka government has revised the pay scale for MBBS doctors and nurses working under the National Health Mission (NHM), increasing it by 55 %.

Under the new pay structure, MBBS doctors will now receive a monthly salary of ₹60,000, while staff nurses will be paid ₹22,000. Specialist doctors will earn ₹1.4 lakh per month. The revised salaries apply to doctors and nurses posted at Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across the state.

Till now, MBBS doctors were earning between Rs 46,895 and Rs 50,000, and staff nurses between Rs 14,186 and Rs 18,774. Specialist doctors were paid in the range of Rs 1.1 lakh to Rs 1.3 lakh. n

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However, the revised pay structure will be applicable only to newly recruited staff under the scheme, which means that the existing healthcare workers won't be able to benefit, but they can choose to resign and reapply, and will receive two additional marks for each year of service during the selection process. 

As per an ETV Bharat news report, the revised salaries have been approved under the NHM Supplementary Record of Proceedings (RoP) 2024–26.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told DH, "The proposal to hike salaries has been approved under the centrally-sponsored scheme. We hope that this will help them fill over a thousand posts that have been lying vacant due to comparatively unattractive salaries."

According to government data, hundreds of sanctioned posts at hospitals in the state remain unfilled. Out of 1,398 approved posts for MBBS doctors under NHM for 2024–25, only 819 have been filled. Among specialists, 305 out of 899 posts are vacant. For staff nurses, 936 of the 9,041 posts are still vacant and yet to be filled. 

For specialist doctors like gynaecologists, paediatricians, anesthesiologists, physicians, orthopedicians, surgeons, and ophthalmologists, the starting salary is fixed at Rs 1.4 lakh. They will also get a 2.5% increment for every year of relevant experience.

Rao told TOI, "The revision comes amid concerns that lower pay often discourages qualified medical professionals from applying for [govt] jobs. We believe this led to limited interest from qualified candidates, resulting in long-standing vacancies across health facilities."

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