BENGALURU: Recruitment of general duty medical officers is a long-drawn process going up to a number of years when it comes to hiring through state public service commissions. The Indian Medical Association wants Karnataka to have a medical recruitment board (MRB) similar to the one in Tamil Nadu where hiring is complete within six months. Currently, 117 medical officer posts are empty.
Dr R Ranganath, president of Karnataka Medical Officers Association, told The New Indian Express, “The last time there was a recruitment process in the department was in September 2016. The notification made in 2017 was for 1,100 specialists and 300 MBBS doctors. The first phase covered specialists. Till now, the appointments haven’t been made. The department should call for recruitment every quarter, in my opinion, but here, it is not done even once a year.”
Health department sources said that appointment orders will be given post polls. In 2017, the delay was caused because the appointment orders of those who did not show up had to be cancelled and the list had to be drawn up again.
Dr Gopinath R, treasurer of Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, said, “Medical Recruitment Board was set up in 2013. The director of public health is the appointing authority. Prior to this, the recruitment would be delayed through TN Public Service Commission by at least two years. Recruitment are called every year. From the notification of exam to the appointment, it takes a maximum of two to six months. There are two types of recruitment — general and special. Special is in cases of extraordinary circumstances where there is option for walk-in interview. Not just doctors, every health posting is made by the Board now, including nurses.” Gopinath said KPSC has other departments to conduct recruitment for, so a dedicated medial recruitment board eases things.
Ranganath opined that recruitment should be decentralised. “Apart from calling for recruitment every year, which the department doesn’t do, they should have counselling in a decentralised manner. Now, everything is concentrated in the state level. Counselling should happen at the divisional, regional and district level,” he said. Apart from TN, Punjab and West Bengal also have medical recruitment boards.
No of vacant posts
Medical officers 117
Specialists 1,000
Staff nurses 619
Pharmacists 39
Lab technicians 1,265
Supervisory cadre 2,847
Male health workers 5,000
Female health workers 287