Punjab to Fill Vacant Doctors’ Posts on Contract BasisPakistan

Which posts are covered

Under the new policy, senior registrars and assistant professors will be appointed in BS-18, associate professors in BS-19 and professors in BS-20 on a contract basis. The posts are in public hospitals and medical institutions, where vacancies have been affecting both patient care and teaching.

Contract appointments in medical institutions will initially be for three years, with the possibility of extension subject to satisfactory performance. Recruitment will be carried out across various specialities of clinical and basic sciences.

The new procedure will also apply to vacant posts reserved under the initial recruitment quota, according to the notification issued by the department.

Why the change was needed

Public hospitals and medical colleges in Punjab have faced a persistent shortage of specialist doctors, with many senior posts lying vacant for long periods. Officials say the contract-based system will allow institutions to fill these posts more quickly than the regular recruitment process, while teaching hospitals will be able to maintain classes and training for medical students without interruption.

The department has directed all medical universities and teaching hospitals to follow the new procedure for filling their vacant posts. Further details about the application process for individual institutions are expected to be announced by the hospitals and universities concerned.

Under the policy, the appointments will be institution-specific, so each hospital and medical college will fill its own vacant posts under the notified procedure. The move covers both clinical specialities, such as medicine and surgery, and basic sciences, which form the foundation of medical teaching in the province.

Health officials say the decision will help teaching hospitals run their outpatient and inpatient services with fuller staffing, while medical colleges will be able to keep their teaching programmes on schedule. The government expects the contract appointments to bring stability to hospitals that have struggled with long-standing vacancies in senior teaching and clinical roles.