Srinagar, Feb 21: A total of 253 consultant posts remain vacant across peripheral hospitals in the Kashmir division, bringing the overall number of unfilled doctor positions to 802, the government informed the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
In a written reply to legislator Ranbir Singh Pathania, the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department said the vacancies include 24 senior consultants, 253 consultants, 458 medical officers, and 67 dental surgeons. The department added that it is “not facing an acute shortage of specialists.”
While 480 medical officer posts have been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission for recruitment, consultant positions are yet to be sent for selection, leaving a significant gap in specialist services at district and sub-district hospitals. “Available manpower is being deployed strategically across health institutions based on requirements,” the government said, adding that newly appointed doctors will be posted in underserved and remote areas.
In response to a question by legislator Shamim Firdous, the H&ME Department acknowledged the need for timely posting of medical and paramedical staff and said efforts are underway to improve accessibility and strengthen healthcare infrastructure across the Union Territory.
The government also informed the House that several paramedical vacancies are being processed through the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board. These include 292 non-gazetted posts under the Directorate of Family Welfare, MCH, and Immunization, and 290 posts under the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu. An additional 608 posts from the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu, are in the process of referral after financial approval.
Further, 802 non-gazetted posts, including multi-tasking staff and sanitation workers in the Kashmir division, are also being prepared for referral to the recruitment board.
The House was told that the establishment of seven new government medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir has significantly reduced patient referrals to GMC Jammu and GMC Srinagar by catering to regional healthcare demands. Consultants and medical officers posted at district hospitals, sub-district hospitals, and primary health centres are delivering services at the peripheral level, further reducing referrals.
