Steps taken to Control Brain Drain of Doctors, Medicos: Dr Harsh Vardhan apprises Parliament

New Delhi: With a large number of doctors, nurses and other paramedics leaving their jobs in Government hospitals and migrating to foreign countries, a major brain drain is going on in the country. This matter was recently brought up in the Parliament.

Pinpointing the same, a Member of Parliament, Abdul Wahab asked the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan as if any such steps have been taken to check such brain-drain from premier hospitals under Central Government and whether the Government has proposed to provide various professional facilities to such doctors to serve in the country in order to prevent such shortage of medical professionals.

Brain-drain has been a long-standing issue for the nation as medicos have been going abroad for getting better job prospects leading to a severe shortage of doctors in the country. Amidst this crunch of medical professionals, the centre and the respective state governments had been taking various steps to prevent brain drain.

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During the hour, some of the initiatives taken by the government in the few years to lure the doctors towards government service were informed about.

Replying to the questions, Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that health, being State subject, the details regarding doctors, nurses and para-medics leaving Government jobs to migrate to foreign countries, is not maintained centrally.

He apprised the parliament that as per records available in the Ministry, out of the total number of doctors belonging to Central Health Service (CHS) & nurses and para-medics etc, under Government, who resigned from Government jobs, most of them were on account of ‘Personal Reasons’.

Dr Vardhan pointed out that it has been the constant endeavour of the Government to make service of doctors and other Central Government health professionals lucrative to retain them in Government service. A number of measures/steps have been taken, in recent past, by Government to make the Government jobs attractive for the health professionals as per the following details:

(i) The superannuation age of CHS doctors and dental doctors working under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been enhanced to 65 years,

(ii) Introduction of time-bound promotions for doctors under Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) Scheme, without linkage to vacancies, upto Senior Administrative grade (SAG) level,

(iii)The benefit of Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) has been extended to CHS doctors up to Higher Administrative Grade,

(iv) The duration of study leave to pursue higher studies/research work has been increased from 24 months to 36 months for CHS doctors,

(v) The Ministry has started Foundation Training Programme (FTP) for newly recruited General Duty Medical Officers in Central Health Service, to equip them professionally to handle patient care service more effectively,

(vi) Expeditious action is being taken to fill up the vacant posts of doctors & paramedical staff in hospitals to avail excessive burden and pressure on doctors. The vacant posts are also being filled up on contractual basis till regular
appointment is done, as a stop-gap arrangement, in public interest. The appointment of contractual doctors in Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is permissible upto the age of 70 years.

(vii) Doctors are encouraged to attend international seminars, conferences in the health sector to increase their professional capabilities and for further their career advancement.

(viii) In addition to Annual Allowance, all CHS doctors are entitled to Non- Practicing Allowance @ 20% of their basic pay subject to the condition that the sum of basic pay and NPA does not exceed Rs. 2,37,500 which is the
average of the apex level pay and pay of Cabinet Secretary

(ix)In respect of doctors of AIIMS, New Delhi the following Salary and Allowances are paid;

• Learning Resources Allowance – Rs. 1,50,000 per Year


• Academic Allowance – Rs 22,500 Per Month


• Non Practice Allowance – 20% of the Basic Pay


• Financial Grant (TA/DA/Registration fee) for attending international and domestic conferences (Professor & Additional Professor – every year and  Associate Professor & Assistant Professor once in two years)


• 42 duty leave every year


• Provision of their academic upliftment.

(c) The Government proposes to provide the following professional facilities to CHS doctors by relaxing the qualifying for availing study leave and fellowship as per details are given below:

(i) To allow CHS doctors to avail study leave after two years of continuous service including probationary period instead of 5 years provided they execute a bond that they would serve the Government for 08 years after obtaining the degree and returning to duty. Further, the officer may also be allowed to avail Extraordinary Leave (EOL) for
pursuing higher studies anytime after joining the service subject to furnishing a bond to serve the Government for three years after returning to duty.

(ii) To allow CHS doctor, any time after joining, to go on a Fellowship for a period of a maximum of 02 years on executing a bond to work for 05 years after returning to duty.

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