Chandigarh: In a major structural overhaul of its healthcare system, the Chandigarh administration has unveiled a new draft policy that not only redefines how govt doctors advance in their careers but also introduces service conditions—including mandatory military service requirements and strict limits on outside hiring.The proposed policy, “The UT Chandigarh Health Service Rules, 2026,” gives public stakeholders a 30-day window from its Aug 20, 2026 announcement to submit objections.Beneath the bureaucratic framework for GMSH-16 and allied dispensaries lies a directive: Any appointed medical officer can be called up to serve in the Indian Defence Services or on defense-related projects for at least four years.This applies to doctors who are under 45 years of age and within their first decade of joining the service, bridging the gap between civilian public healthcare and national defense readiness.Equally significant is the heavy reliance on deputation to fill crucial roles across the 186-sanctioned post network. To bring in broad administrative and clinical expertise, top leadership positions—such as director of administration and additional director—are set aside exclusively for officers joining on deputation from central, state, or other UT cadres. These senior deputation roles, capped at an entry age of 56, require doctors to bring at least 6 years of regular service in the top pay bracket or two decades of total cadre service.Deputation also plays a crucial role for entry-level Medical Officers. Under the draft rules, 60% of ground-level Medical Officer posts (Pay Level-10, Rs 56,100–Rs 1,77,500) will be filled by deputation first, turning to direct UPSC recruitment only if suitable deputation candidates aren’t available. The remaining 40% will be recruited directly via UPSC exams, though deputation acts as the backup route there as well.The policy offers doctors robust career security. Under a Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme, internal promotions from Medical Officer all the way up to director of hospital occur automatically based on tenure and performance benchmarks (”Good” to “Very Good”), freeing doctors from waiting for specialized vacancies to open up.However, this condition comes with non-negotiable boundaries: private practice of any kind—including private consultations or running external labs—is strictly banned. In return, doctors will draw official Non-Practicing and Post Graduate Allowances alongside their regular pay.
