Doctor Vacancies in Tamil Nadu Medical Colleges Disrupt Services and Education

As of September 2025, nearly 35% of doctor positions under the Directorate of Medical Education in Tamil Nadu remain unfilled, creating significant strain on healthcare services across government-run medical colleges. The vacancies are affecting patient care, causing delays in surgeries and routine treatments, and hampering the overall efficiency of hospital operations.

The shortage spans key academic roles, including assistant, associate, and full professors in medical colleges. Typically, these positions are filled through internal promotions rather than direct recruitment. Doctors who start as medical officers in primary health centers are gradually placed in teaching or non-teaching roles at medical colleges after completing postgraduate studies. However, delays in promotion counseling have created a backlog, leaving hundreds of critical positions vacant.

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association (TNGDA) has highlighted that these delays not only affect healthcare delivery but also demoralize staff who await career advancement.

The ongoing vacancies in Tamil Nadu’s medical colleges are not only affecting patient care but also significantly impacting the quality of medical education. Teaching positions, including assistant, associate, and full professors, are crucial for mentoring medical students and providing hands-on clinical guidance.

K. Senthil, president of the TNGDA, noted that administrative delays have slowed the promotion process. On average, it takes 17 years for a government doctor to become an associate professor and an additional eight years to attain full professorship.

The promotion rounds for 2024 from assistant to associate professor remain pending, while 2025 promotions to full professorships are also delayed. Currently, Tamil Nadu’s medical colleges have approximately 1,800 assistant professor vacancies, 800 associate professor vacancies, and 400 full professor positions unfilled.

Overall, the lack of adequate medical/teaching staff creates a ripple effect: it diminishes the quality of education, hampers professional development, and potentially affects healthcare outcomes as graduates enter the workforce.

The vacancies in Tamil Nadu’s medical colleges are placing a significant burden on the doctors who remain in service. With hundreds of assistant, associate, and full professor positions unfilled, existing faculty members are forced to take on additional responsibilities, including patient care, teaching, and administrative duties. This increased workload often leads to extended working hours, heightened stress, and burnout among staff.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) raised concerns over faculty shortages in 2025, issuing show-cause notices to all 36 government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu.

Some departments reported vacancy rates as high as 80%, raising alarms about the potential impact on medical education quality and patient care standards.

(Rh/Eth/ARC/MSM)