Guwahati: Assam‘s government medical colleges and hospitals are grappling with a significant shortage of medical professionals, with 4,232 posts currently vacant across the state’s 14 institutions. This represents over 28 per cent of the total sanctioned posts, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal informed the Assembly on Friday, July 10, 2026.
The extensive vacancies include 297 critical teaching positions for professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, highlighting a substantial challenge to both healthcare delivery and medical education in the state. The shortfall impacts the daily treatment of thousands of patients and raises concerns about the quality of medical training for future doctors.
What was announced
Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal, addressing the Assam Legislative Assembly on July 10, 2026, revealed the extent of the manpower deficit in government medical colleges and hospitals. Responding to queries from Congress MLAs Baby Begum and Asif Mohammad Nazar, Singhal stated that out of 14,754 sanctioned posts across the 14 government medical colleges and hospitals, 4,232 posts are lying vacant.
The minister specified that among these vacancies, 297 posts are for teaching faculty, comprising professors, associate professors, and assistant professors. This indicates a significant gap in the academic leadership and instructional capacity within these institutions.
Singhal also provided details on the patient load, noting that these medical colleges and hospitals collectively treat approximately 15,205 patients daily. Gauhati Medical College and Hospital alone sees 3,246 patients daily, while Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh handles around 1,800, and Silchar Medical College and Hospital approximately 1,500. Medical colleges in Jorhat, Barpeta, and Dhubri each cater to over one thousand patients daily.
Why it matters
The substantial number of vacant medical posts, particularly teaching positions, poses a serious threat to the healthcare infrastructure and medical education system in Assam. A deficit of over 28 per cent in sanctioned posts means increased workload for existing staff, potentially leading to burnout and affecting the quality of patient care.
The shortage of teaching faculty directly impacts the standard of medical education, as fewer professors and specialists are available to train the next generation of doctors. Assam’s 14 medical colleges have a combined annual intake capacity of 1,825 MBBS students. Insufficient faculty can compromise the learning experience and skill development of these students, potentially leading to underskilled doctors in the long run.
Furthermore, a persistent doctor shortage contributes to a poor doctor-patient ratio, which in Assam has historically been a concern. In 2022, the doctor-population ratio in India was 1:834. However, in Assam, the ratio stood at approximately 1:1500 in 2020, significantly higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended standard of 1:1,000. This disparity forces doctors to work long hours and limits the time spent with each patient, impacting patient satisfaction and trust in the healthcare system.
Background
Assam has been actively working to expand its healthcare infrastructure and medical education facilities. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has articulated an ambitious vision to establish Assam as a national hub for medical education, aiming for 2,000 MBBS seats and over 1,000 postgraduate seats.
The state currently operates 14 medical colleges, with 10 more under various stages of construction. Plans are also underway to establish four new medical colleges in Goalpara, Hailakandi, Hojai, and Bajali districts, which would bring the total to 28 institutions. This expansion is part of a broader government objective to ensure a medical college in every district, improving access to both education and specialized healthcare.
Despite these infrastructural advancements, the challenge of filling medical posts has persisted. Reports from May 2024 indicated 278 faculty positions were unfilled across 12 existing medical colleges, with 131 associate professor positions vacant against a sanctioned strength of 834, and 77 assistant professor positions unfilled out of 534 sanctioned posts. Diphu Medical College had the highest number of faculty vacancies with 41 positions.
The state government has previously taken steps to address doctor shortages. In March 2018, the Assam government established the Assam Medical Service Recruitment Board to expedite the recruitment of doctors, aiming to fill around 500 positions. This was in response to delays experienced with the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) and the tendency of candidates to opt for private hospitals due to faster recruitment processes.
However, challenges such as doctors opting for voluntary retirement or resignation to join the private sector due to better pay and facilities, and issues with reservation policies in recruitment, have continued to hinder efforts to fill vacancies.
In August 2025, the Assam Medical Service Association (AMSA) highlighted critical gaps in Assam’s health sector, including a shortage of doctors, quality ambulances, and laboratory facilities, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. AMSA also pointed out the lack of quarters for doctors in rural areas as a significant deterrent.
Recent allegations of irregularities in health department appointments, with a complaint lodged with the Prime Minister’s Office in June 2026 regarding approximately 200 appointments made outside established protocols, further underscore the complexities in human resource management within the state’s health sector.
Key details
The Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Assam, reported 4,232 vacant posts out of 14,754 sanctioned positions in the state’s 14 government medical colleges and hospitals. This constitutes over 28 per cent of the total workforce requirement.
Specifically, the vacancies include 297 teaching posts for professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, essential for medical education.
The institutions collectively manage a high patient load, treating around 15,205 patients daily. Gauhati Medical College and Hospital leads with 3,246 daily patients, followed by Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh (1,800 patients), and Silchar Medical College and Hospital (1,500 patients).
The annual intake capacity for MBBS students across these 14 medical colleges is 1,825, with Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, admitting the highest at 250 students each.
What’s next
The Assam government has outlined ambitious plans to address the overall healthcare manpower shortage. In the 2026-27 State Budget, Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah announced the creation of 33,240 new posts across various health institutions. This massive recruitment drive is intended to strengthen healthcare services from primary health facilities to higher medical institutions.
The proposed recruitment includes 6,814 MBBS doctors, 82 AYUSH doctors, 22 Dental Surgeons, 10,942 Staff Nurses, 4,669 Pharmacists, 4,669 Laboratory Technicians, 67 Radiographers, 1,283 ANMs, 4,625 Lower Division Assistants/Accountants, and 67 Dressers.
A significant initiative announced is the plan to deploy at least one MBBS doctor at every Health Sub-Centre across the state, a move described as the first of its kind in the country. This aims to bolster primary healthcare services, supported by Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) staff.
Additionally, the construction of 10 new medical colleges is underway, with facilities at Bongaigaon, Biswanath, and Charaideo expected to be completed soon. The government also plans to establish four more new medical colleges in Goalpara, Hailakandi, Hojai, and Bajali districts, increasing the total number of medical colleges to 28. These developments are expected to further increase the demand for teaching faculty and medical staff.