NEW DELHI: More than seven years after the Centre informed Parliament that it was consulting states on the creation of an All India Medical Service, a proposed national cadre of doctors on the lines of the IAS and IPS, the plan remains under consideration with the Union health ministry still awaiting responses from states and Union Territories.
Proposal Details
The proposed service is aimed at creating a dedicated cadre of medical professionals who could serve both the Centre and states, similar to officers of the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service.
RTI Response
In a reply to an RTI application dated May 26, 2026, the ministry said the proposal for creation of an All India Medical Service is under consideration and that views of the remaining states and Union Territories have been sought before the matter is taken up with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Historical Context
The proposal has been pending for years. In a Lok Sabha reply in December 2018, the health ministry had said that a committee constituted for the cadre review of the Central Health Service had examined the need for creation of an All India Medical Service and recommended seeking states' views before finalising the proposal.
At the time, Goa, Mizoram, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands supported the proposal, while Kerala and Sikkim opposed it. Andhra Pradesh sought a more comprehensive framework to address manpower needs in the health sector.
Current Status
The latest RTI response suggests that despite years of deliberations, consultations with states are still continuing and a final decision on the proposed cadre is yet to be taken.
Arguments For and Against
Supporters of the proposal argue that a national medical cadre could help strengthen public health administration, improve deployment of specialists and create a leadership pipeline for the healthcare sector. Critics, however, have expressed concerns about states' control over health personnel and service conditions.
About the Author
Anuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.
