Over 1,000 hospital posts vacant: Delhi HC directs UPSC to begin recruitment without delay

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to initiate recruitment for more than 1,000 vacant posts of General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) and non-teaching staff in Delhi government hospitals without waiting for the next annual recruitment cycle, citing the need to address the continuing staff shortage. 

A division bench of Justices Prathiba Singh and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora passed the order on October 30 while hearing a suo motu public interest litigation concerning healthcare facilities in Delhi hospitals. The order, which was made public on November 3, directed the Delhi government to submit revised recruitment proposals to UPSC within two weeks.

According to a status report submitted by the Delhi government, 645 of the 1,785 sanctioned GDMO posts and 417 of the 926 sanctioned non-teaching staff posts are currently vacant. Together, the two categories account for more than 1,000 unfilled positions.

UPSC generally accepts recruitment requests from government departments between January and March each year. The Delhi government informed the court that it had already sent proposals for 654 GDMO and 417 non-teaching staff positions, but the Commission had raised certain observations. The government had planned to submit the revised proposals during the January-March 2027 recruitment window, the Indian Express reported. 

The court, however, directed UPSC to begin the recruitment exercise as an exceptional measure without waiting for the scheduled annual cycle. It also asked the Commission to submit a status report by December 17, confirming whether it had received the revised requisitions and initiated the selection process.

The government attributed the vacancies to a shortage of eligible applicants, selected candidates not joining, and employees resigning after appointment. It also pointed out that the number of candidates recommended by UPSC was often lower than the vacancies reported.

During the previous recruitment cycle, UPSC forwarded only 154 candidate dossiers against 279 non-teaching vacancies. Similarly, of the 234 GDMO and 279 non-teaching positions considered, only 161 doctors and 82 non-teaching employees joined the Delhi Health Department.

The court also examined vacancies among paramedical personnel. Of the 4,462 sanctioned posts in this category, 804 remain vacant. Recruitment for these positions is handled by the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB).

A shortage was also noted in radiology departments, where vacancies among radiographers, senior radiographers and technical officers in radiology together stand at 122. The court directed medical superintendents and medical directors of individual hospitals to arrange contractual appointments for these positions within two months.

The shortage of qualified personnel has also affected the use of diagnostic equipment. The government's report indicated that machines in at least nine of Delhi's 38 government hospitals were either lying unused or operating below capacity due to the lack of trained staff, including radiology specialists.

Taking note of the situation, the court asked hospital heads to hold a joint meeting and recommend measures to improve the availability of diagnostic equipment and personnel. It also directed the Health Secretary to examine the expenditure involved in outsourcing MRI scans, ultrasound and other diagnostic services to private facilities.

The court further asked the government to consider whether higher contractual remuneration could help attract qualified candidates to fill the vacant positions.