Archive · 22 Sep 2026
Delhi High Court Rejects Contractual Hiring as Hospital Staffing Solution
The Delhi High Court is checking whether government hospitals in Delhi have enough workers.
The court said hospitals should not rely mainly on temporary contract workers.
It asked the government to quickly appoint permanent leaders for hospitals that do not have them.
The court also wants hiring to be organized centrally so hospitals follow a consistent plan.
Some expensive machines are not being used because there may not be enough trained staff.
The court asked for updated information about these machines and the workers needed to operate them.
Ambulance operators receive about 2,200 calls each day on number 102, but officials said at least 500 calls are dropped.
The court ordered officials to study whether more phone lines and operators are needed.
The Delhi High Court said contractual employment cannot resolve the government hospitals’ staffing shortage.
The court directed recruitment of regular, full-time medical superintendents or directors at hospitals lacking them.
It called for a centralized recruitment approach and a uniform human-resources policy across 38 hospitals.
The court sought updated details on unused MRI, CT, PET and ultrasound equipment and staffing.
Officials reported about 2,200 daily ambulance calls and at least 500 daily dropped calls on number 102.
- Who
- The Delhi High Court, the Delhi government’s health and services departments, and administrators of 38 government hospitals.
- What
- The court directed action on hospital staffing, permanent senior appointments, unused medical equipment, and dropped ambulance calls.
- When
- The order was made on September 18 and made public on Monday; the next hearing is scheduled for October 10.
- Where
- Government hospitals and ambulance services in Delhi.
- Why
- The court said staff shortages are affecting hospital administration, equipment use, and ambulance-call efficiency.
- Hospitals covered
- 38 Delhi government hospitals
- Staffing direction
- Recruit regular, full-time medical superintendents or directors where posts are vacant
- Recruitment approach
- Use centralized recruitment instead of relying on local contractual hiring
- Delhi Cancer Institute
- Doctors told the court it has lacked a full-time medical superintendent since 2019
- Equipment under review
- MRI, CT Scan, PET Scan and USG machines
- Ambulance number
- Toll-free number 102
- Reported call volume
- Around 2,200 calls received daily, with at least 500 reported dropped calls