Chandigarh, July 8 – The recruitment process for Medical Officer posts under the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) has sparked alarm among local medical professionals, who are calling on the state government to introduce domicile-based reservation to safeguard employment opportunities for Punjab-trained doctors.
A sharp increase in applications—and subsequent selections—from out-of-state candidates, particularly from Rajasthan, has led many MBBS graduates in Punjab to fear they are being edged out of public healthcare jobs in their own state.
“Despite being trained in Punjab and understanding the state’s public health needs, our doctors are being displaced,” said Dr Diljeet Singh Dhillon, a serving medical officer. “Outsiders, many of whom treat this state as a stepping stone, are taking positions that should go to those who are committed to serving here long-term.”
Doctors from across Punjab have submitted appeals to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, urging immediate policy intervention. They are demanding a revision in recruitment eligibility criteria for PCMS posts to introduce domicile preference or reservation for Punjab residents.
The issue, they say, stems in part from the surplus of MBBS graduates in Rajasthan—where over 7,000 students pass out each year but face limited job openings. This has prompted a flood of applications for posts in Punjab, where the government is actively filling vacant positions to strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure.
“This influx of non-domicile candidates is undermining job security for Punjab’s own youth,” said Dr Akhil Sareen, state president of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA). “It threatens to erode the very system we’ve trained in and are committed to improving.”
The association is also pushing for reforms in the Punjabi language proficiency requirement, a mandatory component of PCMS recruitment. While the language test is intended to ensure smooth communication between doctors and patients, many candidates argue the current format is outdated and inconsistent. Instead, they are calling for a standardised, skill-based evaluation—modeled on global English proficiency tests like IELTS, TOEFL, OET, or PTE—that would test practical, patient-facing language ability.
Dr Sareen confirmed that the PCMSA has secured a meeting with Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Wednesday. “We will strongly present the case for domicile preference, fair recruitment standards, and a more transparent language testing mechanism,” he said.
With rural healthcare services already under strain, doctors warn that failing to prioritise locally trained professionals could deepen staffing gaps and further destabilise public health delivery in Punjab’s most vulnerable areas.
