Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the path for recruitment of 5,000 doctors by approving amendment of Odisha Medical & Health Services (OMHS) Rules, 2017.
This move, approved at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, seeks to bolster the healthcare infrastructure and improve services in the state. It seeks to simplify the recruitment process by adjusting the rank of medical positions from Level 7 to Level 6.
This change is expected to make the hiring process more efficient and encourage greater participation from medical professionals.
In addition, the establishment of more medical colleges is planned, which will likely increase the number of qualified doctors entering the healthcare system.
In a swift implementation of this recruitment strategy, the positions for 5,000 doctors are set to be filled without delay. Furthermore, the State intends to appoint 124 dental doctors, thereby enhancing the dental care facilities available to its residents.
For providing specialised health care, Specialist posts have been created at DHH, SDH & CHC levels.
After taking all aspects into consideration the Cabinet approved the newly prepared Odisha Medical & Health Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Amendment Rules, 2025 as proposed by the Health and FW Department.
Key features of the amendment rules:
1. Selection of meritorious, qualitative and deserving candidates for appointment to the Odisha Medical and Health Services Cadre through a uniform qualitative and fair procedure of recruitment. The Suitability of candidates shall be adjudged on the basis of marks secured in a test to be conducted by the Commission.
2. The pre-existing seven grades of OMHS Cadre are reduced to six grades by enhancing the number of posts of Super Time Pay Grade from 2 to 14, Senior Administrative Grade posts from 12 to 45 and abolishing Selection Grade-I posts to increase promotional avenue.
3. The candidates wanting to apply for the base-level posts should possess a valid registration certificate under the Odisha Medical Registration Act, 1961 at the time of applying for the post.
4. Provide 3 (three) advance annual increments to the candidates with recognized Post Graduate Degree and 5 (five) advance annual increments with recognized Super Specialization Degree in the Scale of Pay applicable to Group-A (Junior Branch) Medical Officers from the date of joining as such in-service.
5. Fixation of eligibility criteria of promotion of Medical Officers to the next higher grades.
6. After this amendment of rules, requisition shall be sent to Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) for recruitment of more than 5000 Group-A (JB) Medical Officers.
