Madhya Pradesh Medical Colleges Face Faculty Shortage As 30 Professors Near Retirement, 3,571 Doctor Posts Remain Vacant

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh - Approximately 30 professors at five government medical colleges are set to retire, creating a significant gap in teaching and treatment services within their affiliated hospitals. With 5,444 sanctioned doctor posts in government hospitals, 3,571 of these positions remain unfilled. Retirements are imminent for notable medical professionals like Dr RK Singh (cardiology) and Dr Rajiv Gupta, who will leave their roles in December of this year, and Dr Anna Alex, Dr Aruna Kumar, Dr Rekha Wadwani, Dr Arvind Rai, and Dr Navneet Saxena, who will exit in 2027. Dr Kavita Singh, dean of GMC, will retire in January 2028.

Dr Ajay Sharma, a professor of cardiology at GMC, expressed concern over the impending retirements, stating that the department would be left bereft upon the departure of Dr RK Singh and Dr Rajiv Gupta. This could potentially jeopardize the department's designation as a Doctor of Medicine (DM) level course, given the time-consuming process of recruitment.

Dr Rakesh Malviya, president of the Medical Teachers Association, highlighted that medical teachers, including professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, born between April 1961 and March 1962 are reaching the retirement age of 65. Those born between January 1, 1962, and December 31, 1962, are scheduled for superannuation in the latter part of 2027.

Despite multiple letters from the General Administration Department and Directorate of Medical Education urging medical colleges to hold departmental promotion committee meetings, no progress has been reported. This situation is further exacerbated by the massive traffic congestion experienced in Bhopal during Diwali 2026 due to parking shortages and a lack of effective traffic management.