Metro India News | AMARAVATI

The Andhra Pradesh government has issued postings to 784 postgraduate medical specialists as Senior Residents in secondary and teaching hospitals across the state, Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav announced on Wednesday. The appointments have been made entirely through an online counselling system, eliminating human intervention and ensuring transparency in allocations.

According to the Minister, the postings span 23 medical departments and are part of the state’s mandatory public service policy for doctors who completed their postgraduate medical education under the 2022-23 academic year through the state convener quota in both government and private medical colleges. Under the policy, PG-qualified doctors are required to serve one year in government healthcare institutions, including secondary, district, regional, and teaching hospitals.

Doctors who have received posting orders have been directed to report for duty by January 5 at their respective hospitals. The government has clearly specified that the orders also indicate the second posting location, which doctors will join after completing six months at their initial place of work.

As per the notification issued by the Director of Medical Education, 784 candidates were eligible, of whom 776 exercised their options during counselling. Among them, 348 doctors from 13 clinical departments, including General Medicine, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and other specialities, have been posted to secondary hospitals such as CHCs, Area Hospitals, and District Hospitals. The remaining doctors have been allotted to teaching hospitals.

Officials clarified that each Senior Resident must serve six months in a teaching hospital and six months in a secondary hospital. However, doctors from non-clinical branches and select specialities such as Radiation Oncology have been posted exclusively to teaching hospitals.

The Director of Medical Education stated that the online counselling model used by Dr NTR University of Health Sciences for MBBS and PG admissions was replicated for Senior Resident postings. Allocations were made strictly based on PG examination merit, ensuring fairness and transparency.

Authorities cautioned that doctors who fail to participate in counselling or violate service norms may face penalties, including withholding of original degree certificates or a fine of Rs. 40 lakh, as per government regulations.