Posts Vacant, Chandigarh Health Department announces salary hike

Chandigarh: After receiving a poor response to job vacancy advertisements over the past year, the Chandigarh Health Department has raised salaries for vacant positions in an effort to attract qualified medical professionals. 

This move is part of the department's efforts to address the ongoing shortage of medical officers and specialists in its health facilities. 

The salary for medical officers has been raised from the originally offered ₹45,000 to ₹72,072 — a significant 60% spike. Even the salary for 10 posts of gynaecologist has been boosted by 33%, going up from ₹75,000 to ₹1 lakh, reports Hindustan Times.

The pay for single post of radiologist has been increased by 50% from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh.

The recruitment will be on a contract basis for one year, extending through March 1, 2026, with the possibility of extension depending on performance or the duration of the project. 

The department has been advertising several posts through the National Health Mission (NHM) to hire 18 medical officers and 14 specialists for key health facilities, including the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital in Sector 16, and civil hospitals in Sector 22, Sector 45, and Manimajra. However, despite repeated efforts, the department has struggled to fill these 32 essential posts due to relatively low pay compared to other states, reports the Daily.

In a move aimed at making these positions more appealing, the health department has significantly raised the salary. The salary for medical officers has been increased from Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 72,072 per month. The pay for gynaecologist posts has seen a hike from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 1 lakh, while the salary for the the radiologist post has been increased from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs.1.5 lakh.

According to the Daily, other specialist roles, including microbiologists, epidemiologists, and anaesthetists, which were originally offered Rs. 75,000 per month for each post, will now see a 13% rise in salary, bringing the total compensation to around Rs. 85,000 per month.

These changes are part of a fresh advertisement published on January 23, 2025, which outlines the revised salary structures. The department hoped that these adjustments would help attract qualified professionals to the vacant posts, which are crucial for the smooth functioning of the city’s health services. 

Walk-in interviews for the 18 medical officer posts will take place on February 5, 2025, with interviews for other specialist positions scheduled for February 7, 2025. The Chandigarh Health Department is urging interested candidates to attend these interviews to fill the critical gaps in the city’s healthcare system.