Punjab: Hundreds of newly appointed doctors in the state are feeling uneasy as the government is continuously delaying the issuance of appointment letters. The recruitment exam was held about three months ago and the verification of their documents was done about 50 days ago. The PCMS (medical officer) recruitment exam was held on June 3, 2025 and the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) completed the document verification of 1,738 selected candidates on July 4. The list included 1,017 candidates from the general category, 348 from the Scheduled Caste, 191 from the Backward Classes, 19 from the Economically Weaker Section and 19 from others.
The entire verification list was then sent to the office of the Director, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Chandigarh, which is the final authority to issue appointment letters to 1,000 medical officers. However, despite the process being almost complete, the director’s office is yet to issue the appointment letters. Repeated attempts by the candidates to contact the department through emails to the health minister, Punjab chief medical officer (CMO) and senior officials have not yielded any result.
“This delay is deeply frustrating. We are ready to serve in government hospitals, but we are forced to wait without any clarity,” said a candidate. The PCMS Association, led by president Dr Akhil Sareen and vice-president Dr Simran Dhaliwal, has taken up the matter with the health department and is seeking an early resolution. A senior official of the department said the process is almost complete. Final approval from the chief minister’s office is awaited before the appointment letters are formally issued.
