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In a major crackdown on absenteeism, Madhya Pradesh’s health directorate identified 170 bonded doctors across 48 districts marking fake attendance on the newly mandatory Sarthak app, with five in Betul district logging in from 150-200 km away. The revelations, uncovered through GPS and facial recognition data shortly after the app’s statewide rollout on January 8, 2026, highlight ongoing challenges in ensuring doctor presence at public health facilities. This development raises serious questions about patient care access in rural areas amid India’s persistent healthcare workforce shortages.
The Investigation and Immediate Actions
The Directorate of Health launched a probe using the Sarthak app’s real-time tracking features, revealing discrepancies where doctors’ GPS locations did not match hospital sites despite photo uploads. In Betul, Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Manoj Kumar Hurmade assembled a three-member committee, including the District Health Officer and senior physicians, to investigate and report within seven days. Dr. Hurmade emphasized that “fake attendance on the app is a serious disciplinary offence,” promising strict measures post-inquiry, potentially including salary deductions or termination.
Methods of fraud included camera tricks, edited photos, and using printed images or secondary devices to bypass facial verification, as seen in prior cases from Bhopal and Sehore where doctors marked attendance from hundreds of kilometers away or via shared phones at clinics. Similar irregularities affected around 1,000 of 3,500 bonded doctors statewide, with lapses dating back years due to lax oversight by CMHOs and civil surgeons.
Understanding the Sarthak App
Launched as a trial in October 2025 and mandated from January 8, 2026, the Sarthak app serves as Madhya Pradesh’s employee management system across health, education, and revenue departments. It requires GPS-enabled, face-recognized check-ins between 9 AM and 11:30 AM, plus a second mark after five hours, using retina scans and live photos; failure triggers half-day salary cuts or “no work, no pay.”timesofindia.
Designed for transparency in scheme implementation, the app syncs offline data and combats ghost workers, but early glitches like poor rural network coverage have sparked complaints. Health officials dismiss technical excuses for deliberate fraud, vowing app upgrades to close loopholes like secondary photo tricks.
Broader Context of Doctor Absenteeism
India grapples with high public sector doctor absence rates, averaging 43% nationally per a landmark study, with Madhya Pradesh at around 30%—still among the lower but concerning figures. Bonded doctors, required to serve post-MBBS in rural areas under bond agreements, often shun postings due to delayed pay, poor infrastructure, and low honorariums compared to private gigs, leading only 30% to join despite incentives like Rs 60,000 salaries.
Madhya Pradesh faces acute shortages, with one doctor per 1,460 people versus WHO’s 1:1,000 ideal, exacerbating referrals (35,327 out-of-state cases in 2024 costing Rs 1,085 crore). Tribal districts like Dhar and Khargone report higher fraud rates, mirroring national patterns where rural remoteness and weak supervision fuel absenteeism.
Public Health Implications
Absent doctors at primary health centers (PHCs) and community health centers (CHCs) delay vaccinations, maternal care, and chronic disease management, pushing patients to unqualified providers or costly private options. In MP, this undermines schemes like Ayushman Bharat, with unmonitored facilities risking outbreaks and higher mortality in underserved areas.
Dr. Kuldeep Gupta, President of the Junior Doctors Association (JUDA), notes, “Inadequate infrastructure and delayed salaries breed resentment, but accountability tools like Sarthak are essential steps forward.” Studies show monitoring apps can boost attendance by 15%, as in Karnataka’s PHCs, suggesting potential for Sarthak if refined. For patients, this means inconsistent care; a villager in Betul might wait hours or travel far for a check-up, worsening health inequities.
Challenges, Criticisms, and Limitations
While innovative, the app faces pushback over rural connectivity issues, where signals falter, unfairly penalizing genuine staff. Critics argue it overlooks root causes like housing shortages and supervision gaps, with no FIRs filed yet despite scale. Bonded service itself is coercive, per JUDA, lacking rural allowances or PG seat preferences.
No direct Indian Medical Association statement emerged on Sarthak, but broader calls emphasize incentives over punishment. Technical fixes are underway, but success hinges on addressing systemic woes like MP’s nurse-doctor shortfalls.
This scandal underscores the urgency for holistic reforms: better rural postings, timely pay, and robust tech to safeguard public health.
References
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Medical Dialogues. “MP: 170 doctors found marking fake attendance, 5 from 200 km away.” January 11, 2026. https://medicaldialogues.in/news/health/doctors/mp-170-doctors-found-marking-fake-attendance-5-from-200-km-away-162520medicaldialogues
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.
