50 per cent salary cut for Contractual Medical officers, Rajasthan Govt faces backlash

Jaipur: In a recent job notification that went viral on social media, the Rajasthan government has announced that contractual Allopathy Medical Officers will now receive a monthly salary of Rs 28,050. This decision has drawn widespread criticism from the medical community, as it is a major cut from the previous salary of Rs 56,000 per month.

The official advertisement, signed by the Mission Director on April 17, 2025, under the National Health Mission (NHM), announced 162 vacancies for Allopathy Medical Officers. To be eligible, candidates must have an MBBS degree from a recognised institution, completed a mandatory rotatory internship, and be registered with the Rajasthan Medical Council. For this, the government will only pay them Rs 28,050 monthly.

The significant salary cut has angered doctors across the state, who believe they deserve fair pay for the critical role they play in every emergency, saving countless lives. After investing years of hard work and a large amount of money into completing their medical education, they feel disrespected and frustrated by such a low amount.

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Previously, doctors who were employed on a contract basis were earning Rs 56,000 per month, but with the new salary structure, the pay has been slashed by almost 50 per cent. This has come as a major disappointment for doctors, especially at a time when healthcare workers have been demanding better pay and improved working conditions in the public health system for a long time.

Slamming the state government for giving such a low salary, several doctors took to social media to express their frustration. They strongly criticised the significant pay cut for MBBS doctors, especially when compared to other welfare schemes where beneficiaries earn more.

The recruitment notice going viral on the internet and igniting rage among doctors states, "In accordance with the above reference and under the provisions of the Rajasthan Contractual Hiring to Civil Posts Rules, 2022, approval is hereby granted to proceed with the recruitment for vacant contractual posts under NHM through the District Health Committee, considering the urgent need for human resources and operational efficiency. Approval has been received from the Finance Department’s letter No. 152500633 dated 29.03.2025. Recruitment may be carried out either through a walk-in process or on a merit basis no later than 30.03.2026, and action must be taken at the district level accordingly."

The notice also adds that the government is planning to recruit a total of 2,855 health workers under NHM. The posts include Allopathy Medical Officers, Female Health Workers, Nurses, Lab Technicians, Pharmacists, and Radiographers. All appointments will be made at the district level by the respective health committees.

Along with medical officers, 159 posts have also been announced for Female Health Workers, with a monthly pay of Rs 13,150. Applicants for this role must have completed the Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) training or Health Worker Female course and must be registered with the Rajasthan Nursing Council as a B Grade Nurse.

The government has also announced the hiring of 1,941 nurses at a monthly pay of Rs 18,900. Applicants must have completed their senior secondary education and hold a GNM diploma or equivalent qualification, along with registration in the Rajasthan Nursing Council. Additionally, the government is recruiting for 414 Lab Technician posts, 151 Pharmacist posts, and 28 Radiographer posts, each offering a salary of Rs 13,150 per month.

With the new salary structure, healthcare workers have raised concerns that such a drastic pay cut could affect the morale of doctors and their willingness to work passionately. Not only doctors but also the general public slammed the government for paying such low salaries to the healthcare workers.

Sharing the information, one doctor wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “In a shocking move, the Rajasthan government has slashed the monthly salary of contractual doctors from ₹56,000 to ₹28,050, contrary to expectations of a hike. Can it improve the health structure?

Similarly, Dr Harshad Sharma, State executive member at Indian Medical Association (IMA), said in a tweet, "This decision is completely contrary to the previous orders. On March 30, 2022, the then Mission Director, Dr. Jitendra Kumar Soni had fixed the salary of full-time contract doctors at Rs 56,600. Even in another order issued on March 1, 2024, the same salary was fixed for contract doctors.

However, the old doctors will continue to get a salary of Rs 56,600, but the new doctors will get a reduced amount. Experts say that after deducting the contract part, this amount will be only around Rs 25,000. The government's decision to cut doctors' salaries by up to 50% is not just an administrative order but a blatant insult to our dedication, sacrifice and spirit of service to humanity. This decision is not only an economic injustice but also a deep blow to the dignity of an ideal profession like medicine. We are the ones who sacrificed our youth under the burden of books, the ones who sacrificed their sleep, festivals, family and personal happiness to save the lives of unknown faces, the same people who risked their lives to protect the country during the storm of the pandemic."

Dr Lakshya Mittal, National President of United Doctors Front (UDF), tweeted, "Rajasthan- The first state in India where medical education was made a joke. Faculty from YouTube, study by yourself, job on contract, and the salary of Rs 56100 is now only Rs 25000."

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that despite completing their postgraduate degrees, the doctors in 13 different specialities in Rajasthan are unable to contribute to the State public health sector as the Rajasthan Government has not created any posts of junior specialists, senior specialists, and principal specialists in those specialities in its hospitals.

These specialities include biochemistry, radiation oncology, transfusion medicine, preventive and social medicine, emergency medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, palliative medicine, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, nuclear medicine, family medicine, and hospital administration.

Even though the MBBS doctors have completed their post-graduation in these 13 different specialities in the State's medical colleges and many are studying the courses, there is not a single approved position in those 13 specialities in medical colleges, district and sub-district hospitals.

Due to this, neither the people nor the State Government are able to utilise the money invested in the specialised education of the doctors studying these specialities. On the other hand, the medical students who are pursuing their PG degrees in these specialities are also worried about their future due to the limited opportunities to work in the State.

Also read- Rajasthan's Healthcare Paradox: Trained Doctors, But No Jobs in 13 specialities