Delhi Medical Council Collapse Leaves Doctors Without Salaries, Registration, Urgent Appeal Made to DGHS

New Delhi: The doctors have appealed to the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), highlighting the severe disruption caused by the non-functioning of the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) and the consequent delays in processing permanent registrations for medical practitioners.

In their letter, the doctors under the United Doctors' Front association have raised alarm over multiple issues that are affecting their ability to work and receive salaries, despite being actively involved in patient care across government institutions in the capital.

“At present, the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) is not functioning due to the absence of a Registrar. This has completely halted the process of permanent registration, leaving doctors, who have completed their MBBS and are actively serving in various hospitals, without the necessary registration for salary processing and legal practice,” the letter stated.

One of the primary concerns is the backlog of permanent registration applications, which have remained unresolved for months due to the absence of a Registrar. The letter seeks clarity on when a new Registrar will be appointed so that the processing of registrations can resume without further delay.

Adding to the crisis is the poor functioning of the medical council website. According to the letter, the site often crashes or becomes inaccessible, and even when it is operational, technical glitches prevent the submission of forms. The payment gateway reportedly fails frequently, with money being deducted without any receipt or confirmation, creating confusion and distress among applicants.

Applicants are also facing difficulties in proceeding with their registration process due to the non-functional appointment booking system for document verification. With no replies to emails or phone calls, the letter states, many doctors are left in complete uncertainty about the status of their applications.

Another pressing consequence of the Delhi Medical Council shutdown, as highlighted by the United Doctors' Front, is the delay in salary disbursal. Several doctors currently serving in government health facilities across Delhi are unable to receive their remuneration because their registrations are pending. This situation has left many demoralized as they continue their duties without pay, despite fulfilling all necessary eligibility conditions.

The letter makes a series of immediate demands, including the urgent appointment of a new Registrar, a formal directive from the DGHS to government institutions to release salaries to currently serving doctors, technical repairs of the DMC’s digital infrastructure, a temporary manual or provisional registration mechanism, and the establishment of a helpdesk or grievance redressal system.

Previously, the All FMGs Association (AFA) also pointed out against the decision, highlighting the impact it may have on doctors’ regulation and public health systems, particularly at a time when many FMGs are awaiting their compulsory rotating medical internships.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that The proposal to dissolve the Delhi Medical Council, which Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh has already passed, is awaiting acceptance from the Lieutenant Governor's office. Meanwhile, the Health Department tasked the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to oversee the functions of the Council until a new body is formed.

The Delhi Government proposed to dissolve the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) amid allegations of mismanagement and irregularities in its functioning.