Karnataka hikes pay for doctors, nurses to tackle staff shortage; check new salaries

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the salary hike is intended to make government healthcare jobs more attractive to qualified professionals.

In a move aimed at tackling the acute shortage of healthcare personnel in government-run hospitals, the Karnataka government has announced a revised pay structure for doctors and nurses working under the National Health Mission (NHM). 

The revised salaries are applicable to new recruits serving in Sick Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across the state.

The revised salaries are applicable to new recruits serving in Sick Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across the state, Times of India reported.

Check revised salaries here:

Under the new pay structure, MBBS doctors will now earn ₹60,000 per month, up from the earlier range of ₹46,895 to ₹50,000. Specialist doctors will see their monthly salary increase to ₹1.4 lakh, compared to the previous band of ₹1.1 lakh to ₹1.3 lakh. Staff nurses, whose earlier salaries ranged from ₹14,186 to ₹18,774, will now receive a flat ₹22,000 per month.

However, the pay revision will apply only to new appointments. Existing NHM employees will continue on their current salary structures unless they choose to resign and reapply. Those who reapply will be given preference, including an additional two marks for each year of past service.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, speaking to Times of India, said the salary hike is intended to make government healthcare jobs more attractive to qualified professionals. “Lower pay often discourages medical professionals from applying for government roles. This has left many sanctioned posts vacant for years,” he said.

As of now, 579 out of 1,398 sanctioned MBBS posts remain unfilled. Similarly, 305 of 899 specialist doctor positions and 936 of 9,041 staff nurse posts are vacant. The revised pay is expected to address this persistent staffing gap.

For specialists in critical disciplines such as obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, anaesthesia, general medicine, orthopaedics, surgery, and ophthalmology, the revised salary is ₹1.4 lakh per month, with a 2.5 per cent annual increment based on relevant experience.

Minister Rao further explained that while existing NHM staff receive a 5 per cent annual salary increase, newly recruited personnel will not be eligible for the same hike initially. “We need skilled professionals to strengthen our public healthcare system. It’s our responsibility to ensure they are adequately compensated,” he said.