12,000 candidates apply for 450 medical officer posts in Haryana

Chandigarh: Nearly 12,000 MBBS graduates and students have applied for the post of 450 medical officers in Haryana. According to health department officials, this marks a 50 per cent increase compared to last year.

Health officials have expressed satisfaction over the strong response to the recruitment drive and said they hope the new appointments will help reduce the shortage of doctors across the state.

Medical Dialogues last year reported about the government's plan to recruit 450 doctors for government hospitals as the state continued to face shortages across public healthcare facilities.

Also read- Haryana announces recruitment of 450 doctors amid staff shortages

Haryana has 4,054 sanctioned medical officer posts, but only 3,602 are currently filled. While the official vacancy stands at 450 posts, the actual requirement is closer to 950 doctors. The number falls short of the World Health Organisation’s recommended doctor-patient ratio of 100 doctors per lakh population.

The shortages are evident across the state’s 59 civil hospitals, 119 community health centres, and 486 primary health centres, where both outpatient and inpatient departments are overloaded.

In 2024–25, around 8,000 candidates had applied for 777 posts under the Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS). Of the 746 doctors who were selected then, 213 did not join, leaving many posts vacant.

Medical education experts believe the sudden jump in applications may be linked to Indian students completing MBBS degrees abroad. The number of applicants includes mostly MBBS degree holders or those currently pursuing the qualification.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Dr Manish Bansal, Director General of Health Services, Haryana, said, "By January 22, the last date for online applications, nearly 12,000 candidates had applied for 450 posts. We believe that some students who are still pursuing MBBS may also have applied for the written examination, which is scheduled for February 15 this year."

The written test will be conducted by PGIMS, Rohtak. There will be no interviews. Candidates who qualify for a place in the merit list will be called only for document verification before final selection.

Dr Ranbir Singh Dahiya, an academician and former professor at PGIMS, Rohtak, said, "Most students from Haryana who pursue MBBS abroad prefer destinations such as Russia, Georgia, and Uzbekistan. These countries are attractive because they offer affordable tuition, English‑medium programmes, and relatively easier admission compared to Indian medical colleges."

He further explained that although the tuition fees in government medical colleges in India are far lower than those in private institutions, admission remains highly competitive due to the limited number of seats available.

"For Indian citizens who complete their MBBS degree abroad, it is mandatory to pass the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in order to register with the National Medical Commission and obtain a license to practice in India. The FMGE is a screening test conducted by the National Board of Examinations to ensure that foreign‑trained doctors meet the minimum standards required to practice medicine in the country," Dahiya added.

Also read- Haryana Health Department faces acute staff shortage with 5,384 vacant posts