SMS Hospital Super-Specialist Doctors Assigned ‘Clerk’ Duties Amid Recruitment Drive

Jaipur: In a surprising turn of events at Jaipur’s prestigious Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, 135 senior doctors, including anesthetists, surgeons, gynecologists, orthopedicians, pediatricians, psychiatrists, radiotherapists, and specialists in transfusion medicine, tropical medicine, and palliative care, are currently performing clerical work instead of treating patients.

The doctors, who earn between ₹80,000 and ₹1.5 lakh per month, have been tasked with document verification for over 8,200 newly recruited nurses and paramedical staff under the state government’s recent hiring initiative. The verification process includes scrutinizing educational certificates, caste certificates, and other documents, duties traditionally handled by administrative staff.

The SMS Hospital, affiliated with Sawai Man Singh Medical College, has organized the verification duties in rotations of 51 doctors each, scheduled to continue until December 6, 2025. The move has raised concerns about patient care, as doctors who should be performing surgeries and treating critical cases are now tied up with administrative tasks. Some operations may need to be postponed, and certain operating theaters could remain temporarily closed due to this diversion of medical personnel.

A government official associated with the Health and Medical Education Department explained that, as employees of a government institution, doctors are required to perform any official duties assigned, including administrative tasks. “Document verification is a critical part of the recruitment process and must be completed promptly to ensure swift appointments,” the official said.

One senior doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the strain on patient care: “With such a shortage of senior specialists, dedicating doctors to clerical work means patients will have to wait longer for treatment, and major surgeries could be delayed.”

The situation underscores the challenges faced by government hospitals in balancing administrative responsibilities with the urgent need for specialist medical care.