Amending the existing rules, the State Health Department has notified draft rules for bringing transparency in transfers through counselling and filling crucial posts on priority.
Defining “critical vacancies” in the department, the draft rules titled ‘Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Medical Officers and Other Staff) Rules, 2025’, notified on May 14, are aimed at filling these critical vacancies on priority.
Vacancies in any cadre where more than 50% of the sanctioned posts are vacant in any government hospital other than a primary health centre (PHC) or sub-centre are critical vacancies. Absence of any one of the specialists among the team of three specialists — obstetrics and gynaecology (OBG), paediatrician and anaesthetist — who are very much essential for providing proper care to mother and child health in a government hospital have also been categorised as critical vacancies, according to the draft rules.
Applicable to all staff
Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), told The Hindu on Friday that the amended draft rules would apply to all doctors, medical officers and other staff of the Health Department. “Although rules existed for transfers through counselling, there was no clarity. We have been trying to ensure an equitable distribution of our staff in urban and rural areas for years, but have not been able to do so. Apart from equitable distribution, we plan to fill critical vacancies on priority. This will also ensure the staff, including doctors, do not have to run around for their transfers, giving them a fair chance of a choice to choose,” Mr. Gupta said.
According to the draft rules, it will be compulsory for all medical officers and other staff to serve in rural areas as specified in the relevant rules of recruitment. “A medical officer or other staffer, who has not served in rural areas for the specified minimum period under the relevant rules of recruitment and who has not attained the age of 50, should be transferred and posted to work in a rural area,” Mr. Gupta said.
Pointing out that such employees would be identified, the Principal Secretary said they would be withdrawn from their current post and transferred through the process of counselling in order of priority to work in a rural area.
Specialists only against sanctioned posts
Specialists and senior specialists, who are working in posts that are not identified by the State government for the particular specialised qualification possessed by them, will be withdrawn from that post and transferred through the process of counselling and posted in areas where their speciality is required, he said.
Besides, those who have completed the minimum number of years of continuous service in a government hospital can be transferred to another government hospital in the same area or zone or to any other area or zone. The list of medical officers or staff who are eligible for transfer in public interest should be prepared by selecting persons who have completed the prescribed minimum tenure and who are most long-standing as per tenure in the current post, subject to the maximum limit for effecting transfers, the rules state.
Objections, if any, to the draft rules can be submitted within seven days of their publication. Objections and suggestions can be addressed to the Principal Secretary to Government, Health and Family Welfare Department, Room No. 105, Vikasa Soudha, Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi, Bengaluru 560001.
Published – May 16, 2025 09:28 pm IST
