Behind government doctors’ indefinite strike in Haryana, a simmering tussle over promotion and recruitment

The association identifies direct recruitment as the main hurdle. Under current policy, 75% of SMO posts are filled through promotions, while 25% are reserved for direct recruitment. Doctors argue that directly recruited SMOs progress far ahead in their career, often reaching the post of Director General, while in-service doctors stagnate.

This issue has sparked unrest earlier as well. “In July 2024, the Association staged a two-day strike, which was withdrawn after government assurances that no further direct recruitment for SMOs would be done and service rules would be amended to ensure promotions,” says an association member. Those assurances remain unfulfilled, say members.

The state action committee of the HCMS Association, which met on Tuesday afternoon, resolved that all doctors in the HCMS cadre will enforce a complete shutdown of medical services for an indefinite period, until their “legitimate demands are met or a mutual consensus is achieved through dialogue with the government”.

What do the authorities say?

Haryana’s Director General of Health Services Dr. Manish Bansal said that the department, in 2024, proposed filling SMO posts entirely through promotions as a one-time measure, but the government rejected this. Another senior officer noted that several departments follow a mixed system of promotions and direct recruitment, and some within the health department support continuing direct recruitment.

Owing to opposition from the HCMS Association, however, no direct recruitment has taken place since 2012. The association argues that past recruitments were interview-based, leaving room for favoritism, and says most states do not recruit SMOs directly.

This standoff has created a deadlock: Neither direct recruitment nor promotions are happening. As a result, 210 SMO posts remain vacant out of 644 sanctioned positions, with 50 meant for promotion and the rest reserved for direct recruitment. The shortage has affected health services and administration at the local level.

What has the government done so far?

To break the deadlock, Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi invited the HCMS Association for dialogue on Friday, but no solution emerged. A meeting with the Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Rajesh Khullar also took place.

Association sources indicate the government responded positively to banning direct recruitment, but refused to implement the Assured Career Progression (ACP) programme despite Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s approval in July 2024.

ACP is a structured promotion scheme that ensures timely career growth and financial security for medical officers, even if regular promotions are delayed. In Haryana, the scheme provides financial upgradation after five, 10 and 15 years of service. Initially, the association demanded four ACPs (after four, nine, 13 and 20 years), but, in July 2024, agreed to three ACPs at higher grades.
The scheme has not been implemented despite this compromise, the association alleges.

What’s next?

The HCMS Association’s warning of an indefinite strike has come to pass. To maintain services, the government has deployed junior and senior residents from medical colleges, as well as Ayush doctors and those from the National Health Mission.

But health services are expected to be affected if the strike continues. Dr Anil Yadav said that around 2,300 doctors out of 2,700 medical officers participated in the strike on December 8 and 9. Experts caution that diverting medical college doctors to hospitals will ultimately disrupt services at the colleges too, creating a wider impact across the healthcare system.

In a statement, the HCMS committee said: “Strike has never been our priority or motive. The HCMS Association remains committed to resolving all issues through meaningful dialogue, in the interest of both doctors and the public health system.”