Over 800 nursing, paramedical posts vacant at PGIMER, GMCH, GMSH: MoS Health

Chandigarh: The city's three major government healthcare institutions- the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH-32), and Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH-16) are currently facing a severe shortage of nursing and paramedical staff.

Over 800 nursing and paramedical posts remain vacant at these premier government institutions, which see an average of hundreds of patients each day.

At GMCH-32, out of 1,264 sanctioned nursing posts, 281 are vacant, while 86 paramedical posts are also lying vacant out of 330 sanctioned posts. GMSH-16 has 154 sanctioned nursing posts, of which 30 are vacant, while 70 paramedical posts remain vacant against 233 sanctioned posts.

PGIMER, which has the highest number of sanctioned posts, with 2,597 nursing posts and 856 paramedical posts; however, it still faces shortages, with 247 nursing posts and 120 paramedical posts presently lying vacant.

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This information was shared in the Lok Sabha by Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, who gave details of sanctioned and vacant posts in these institutions.

Responding to a question raised by MP Manish Tiwari on delays in promotions, cadre review and restructuring of nursing staff, the Minister said that GMCH and GMSH have reported no delay in promotions. PGIMER informed that the third cadre review for the restructuring of non-faculty staff, including nursing staff, has already been completed.

On delays in nursing promotions at PGIMER, the Minister explained that the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh, in a July 17, 2025, order, has stopped the PGIMER from conducting a Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting from Senior Nursing Officer (SNO) to Assistant Nursing Superintendent (ANS) post for now. The tribunal has asked PGIMER to meet certain conditions within six months before holding the promotion meeting.

When asked whether the shortage of staff has affected patient care, OPD, emergency and trauma services in these hospitals, the Minister said that GMCH and GMSH are managing services with the available staff. However, the Minister stated that PGIMER is operating beyond its optimal capacity to ensure patient care is not affected.

Following this, Tiwari asked whether the Government has approved the outsourcing of essential nursing or paramedical services due to staff shortage and whether any timelines have been fixed to fill up the existing vacancies and have a proposal for the creation of additional posts in view of increasing patient load.

In response, the Minister said that nursing and paramedical staff are hired on an outsourced basis as per hospital needs.

"Creation of posts is done as per the functional requirements of the hospital concerned. Filling of the newly created and vacant posts is a continuous administrative process undertaken from time to time," added the Minister.

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