Haryana Govt doctors stage 2-hour pen-down strike, OPD services suspended

Chandigarh: Protesting the state government’s plan to directly recruit Senior Medical Officers (SMOs), a process that has not happened since 2012, and pressing for the fulfilment of their unfulfilled demands, doctors from government hospitals across Haryana observed a two-hour pen-down strike today, November 27, 2025.

Organised under the banner of the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA), the government doctors stopped OPD services, reporting work, and all official and administrative duties from 9 am to 11 am. Emergency services, however, continued as usual.

Their key demands include an immediate halt to the direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) and the issuance of the modified Assured Career Progression (ACP) structure, which has been approved by the CM, but is pending with the Finance Department.

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The decision to strike was taken by the association’s Action Committee during an online meeting on Monday. The protest was earlier planned for Tuesday but was shifted to Thursday due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kurukshetra.

Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Rajesh Khyalia, state president of the HCMSA, said, "All OPD services, except emergency, labour room and operations, were suspended. On June 3, 2021, the then Health Minister Anil Vij had ordered that no direct recruitment of SMOs would be undertaken, and that existing doctors would be given opportunities for promotion. Now, the government is planning to recruit SMOs directly. No such recruitment had taken place since 2012."

The association also raised concerns over the delay in notifying the modified ACP structure, which would enhance their pay scale from the existing Rs 8,700 to Rs 9,500, bringing them on par with medical college doctors.

Dr Deepak Goyal, state treasurer of the association, said, "At present, even a Civil Surgeon draws less salary than a medical college doctor. The CM has approved the modified structure, but the Finance Department has not issued the notification yet. We had met the Director General of Health Services, but no concrete action had been taken. We have sought time from the CM and the Health Minister to raise our issues."

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