The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India’s 2025 report highlights a critical shortage of teaching staff in government medical colleges across Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand. This shortage spans medical, nursing, and AYUSH colleges, as well as super-specialty hospitals, with some institutions operating without full-time heads. The report, covering trends from 2016 to 2021, underscores the impact of these vacancies on medical education quality and healthcare delivery
In Delhi, Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) faced a 23% faculty vacancy rate in 2021-22, with 73 out of 295 posts being temporary for over two decades. The Ahilya Bai College of Nursing lacked a principal for five years and had only two assistant and associate professors instead of the required five. The Delhi government has initiated efforts to fill these gaps, including hiring on a contractual basis.
Rajasthan’s RNT Medical College also reported significant vacancies, but the state government has not provided explanations for these gaps. Uttarakhand’s government medical colleges, which increased student intake, failed to proportionally expand their teaching staff, resulting in a staggering 64% faculty shortage.
The CAG recommends revising recruitment norms and expediting the hiring process to address these deficiencies. The National Medical Commission (NMC) introduced new recruitment norms in January 2025 to broaden the faculty pool. However, the persistent shortages highlight systemic inefficiencies in resource allocation and management.
This report sheds light on the urgent need for structural reforms in medical education and healthcare systems to ensure quality education and effective healthcare delivery.
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