‘Mockery of Merit’: Doctors Outraged as Shimla Hospital Offers Neurosurgeon ₹33,650 Salary
A controversy has erupted within the Himachal Pradesh medical community following the appointment of a fully qualified neurosurgeon as a “Job Trainee Medical Officer” at the Atal Institute of Medical Super-Specialities in Chamiyana. The primary point of contention is the monthly salary offered: just ₹33,650.
The Medical Teachers Association has strongly condemned the move, labeling it “unjustified” and a devaluation of a super-specialist’s qualifications. The doctor in question has undergone approximately 12 years of rigorous education, including an MBBS, MS in Surgery, and MCh in Neurosurgery.
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Critics pointed out the severe disparity in pay, noting that the doctor received a stipend of roughly ₹1.30 lakh per month while still in training. The new “job” effectively offers 75% less than the training stipend.
Dr. Vivek Sood, president of the association, warned that such “regressive service conditions” threaten the state’s public healthcare system. He cautioned that devaluing specialists will inevitably force talent to migrate to the private sector or other states, leading to a shortage of faculty and specialists in government hospitals.
