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CHANDIGARH — Public healthcare services across Haryana have plunged into uncertainty as over 3,000 government doctors, under the banner of the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA), launched an indefinite strike this week. The medical professionals have defied the state government’s invocation of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), escalating a long-standing standoff over recruitment policies and career progression.
The strike, which began as a warning protest earlier in the month, morphed into a total shutdown of Outpatient Departments (OPDs), elective surgeries, and post-mortem services on Wednesday. The move comes despite the Haryana government’s stringent order prohibiting any form of agitation by healthcare workers for the next six months.
The Core Conflict: “Lateral Entry” vs. Career Security
At the heart of the dispute is the government’s decision to continue the direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs). The HCMSA argues that this “lateral entry” policy effectively blocks the promotion hierarchy for serving Medical Officers (MOs), leading to severe career stagnation.
“We are not against the recruitment of specialists, but we are against the direct recruitment to administrative posts that should be filled via promotion,” stated Dr. Rajesh Khyalia, President of the HCMSA. “Currently, 95% of our doctors retire with only a single promotion in their entire career—from Medical Officer to Senior Medical Officer—after waiting for over 20 years. Direct recruitment kills the motivation of in-service doctors who have served rural areas for decades.”
The association is demanding that 100% of SMO posts be filled through promotions, a practice they claim is standard in other states. They argue that bringing in external candidates at senior levels demoralizes the existing workforce and leads to a “brain drain” from the public sector.
Demands for Parity and Progression
Beyond the recruitment controversy, the striking doctors are pressing for the implementation of a revised Assured Career Progression (ACP) structure. The HCMSA is demanding four financial upgrades—at 4, 9, 13, and 20 years of service—to bring them at par with their counterparts in the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and other states like Bihar. Currently, Haryana doctors receive only three upgrades at 5, 10, and 15 years.
“The government agreed to these demands in principle back in July 2024,” said a senior member of the association who requested anonymity. “We have minutes of meetings where the revision was approved, yet months later, no notification has been issued. We are tired of empty assurances.”
Other lingering issues include the reduction of the postgraduate (PG) bond amount—from ₹1 crore to ₹50 lakh—and the formal creation of a specialist cadre to ensure specialists are not bogged down with general administrative duties.
Government Invokes ESMA: “Strike is Illegal”
In response to the strike call, the Haryana government invoked ESMA, declaring the strike illegal and warning of disciplinary action against participants. The Health Department has mobilized alternative resources to mitigate the impact, deploying doctors from the National Health Mission (NHM), medical colleges, and even AYUSH practitioners to manage emergency services.
Haryana Health Minister Aarti Singh Rao appealed to the doctors to return to work, stating that the government is open to dialogue. “We have already accepted several demands, including the halt on direct SMO recruitment temporarily while we review the policy. Striking at the cost of patient lives is not the solution,” she stated in a press briefing.
A House Divided: Specialists Break Ranks
The strike has exposed a rift within the medical fraternity. A faction of directly recruited specialists has publicly opposed the HCMSA’s stance, arguing that stopping direct recruitment would cripple the state’s ability to fill critical gaps.
“There are over 600 vacant specialist posts in Haryana,” noted a representative from the opposing faction. “If you stop direct recruitment, who will treat the patients? Promoting an MBBS doctor to an SMO post based on seniority does not fill the clinical gap of a surgeon or a gynecologist. We need a specialist cadre, not a blockade on hiring.”
Public Health Impact
The ground reality for patients has been grim. Reports from Civil Hospitals in Gurugram, Panchkula, and Ambala indicate that while emergency wards are functioning with skeletal staff, routine healthcare has collapsed.
“I have been waiting for my knee surgery for two months,” said Ram Kumar, a 58-year-old patient at the Civil Hospital in Panchkula. “Today I was told to go home because there are no doctors. Where should a poor man go? Private hospitals are too expensive.”
Expert Commentary
Health policy experts suggest that the situation in Haryana is symptomatic of a larger malaise in India’s public health administration.
“The issue of career progression in state health services is a ticking time bomb,” says Dr. Preeti Kumar, a public health policy analyst. “When states fail to offer a clear career path, they lose talent to the private sector. However, the solution isn’t necessarily to ban lateral entry, which brings in fresh skills, but to create a dual-track system where clinical specialists and administrative leaders both have growth avenues. The ‘specialist cadre’ model, which separates clinical and administrative tracks, is the global standard that Haryana is struggling to implement.”
Conclusion
As the standoff enters its fourth day, the stalemate continues. The doctors maintain they will not return to work without a written government notification fulfilling their demands, while the state administration weighs the option of mass disciplinary action under ESMA. For the millions of residents relying on Haryana’s public health infrastructure, the resolution cannot come soon enough.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals before making any health-related decisions or changes to your treatment plan. The information presented here is based on current research and expert opinions, which may evolve as new evidence emerges.
References
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Primary News Source: Pati, I. (2025, December 11). Haryana doctors defy ESMA, launch indefinite strike over recruitment and career security. ETHealthworld.
