Central Health Service

Last updated
Central Health Service
Ministry of Health India.svg
Cadre Controlling Ministry
Service Overview
AbbreviationCHS
Formed1963(62 years ago)
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
Cadre Controlling Authority Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Legal Personality Governmental: Civil Service (Health Service)
Recruitment Union Public Service Commission
Training Institute NIHFW, New Delhi
Cadre Strength4793 (2025)
Service Chief
Director General of Health Services Dr Atul Goel

Central Health Service (CHS) is an organised central group of Civil Service of the Government of India. [1] [2] [3] The Cadre controlling authority of Central Health Service is the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and it is the only organised service under MoHFW. [4] CHS is one of the three organised Health Services of the Government of India, other two being the Indian Railway Health Service (IRHS) and Indian Ordnance Factory Health Service (IOFHS). CHS Officers are involved in providing clinical care, medical education, health administration and implementation of Health Programs. [5]

Contents

CHS has 4 sub-cadres [6]

  1. General Duty Medical Officers (GDMO)
  2. Teaching Specialists
  3. Non-Teaching Specialists
  4. Public Health Specialists

The roles and responsibilities of the CHS Officers depend on their sub-cadre and the organisation to which they are appointed.

History

In 1957, the Government of India initiated steps to constitute a Central Health Service, consisting of all posts in the Central Health Cadre such as Medical, Public Health and Medical Research posts in the General Central Services Class I and Class II, excluding the posts under Ministries of Railways and Defence. [7] [8] The Rules for the Constitution of the Central Health Service was notified in May 1963. [9] [10] Initially the service had two streams, (i) General Duty Officer (GDO) and (ii) Specialists. MBBS Graduates were recruited at GDO Grade II which was a Class II post and were eligible for promotion after 5 years to GDO Grade I, which was a Class I post. Doctors with Post-Graduate Qualification were also recruited to GDO stream, but at GDO Grade I level.

Though an All India Service called Indian Medical and Health Service (IMHS) was planned to be constituted with CHS officers in 1969, it was not implemented. [11] [12] In 1973, CHS was declared as a Class I service. Till 1974, the Medical and Public Health posts under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was included in CHS. [13] On 18th February 1977, the UPSC conducted the first Combined Examination for recruitment to Medical posts under Central Government, including CHS. Prior to 1977, the selection to these posts was on the basis of interview. [12] In 1982, CHS was restructured into 4 sub-cadres, as it exists today.

On 21st August 1989, a Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) was signed between the Government and the Joint Action Council of Service Doctors Organisations (JACSDO) to improve the service conditions and the career progression. Following this a High Power Committee (Tikku Committee) was constituted to look into these issues. [14]

Recruitment

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Medical Services Examination (CMSE) every year to recruit officers to various health service cadres including to Medical Officer Grade (Level 10) of GDMO sub-cadre of CHS. [15] There is a separate recruitment process by UPSC for the Specialist posts of the remaining sub-cadres. [16]

Training

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J. P. Nadda with the General Duty Medical Officers of the First Foundation Training Programme J.P. Nadda in a group photograph at the inauguration of the 9-week foundation training course for new recruits of CHS, at the National Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW), in New Delhi.jpg
The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J. P. Nadda with the General Duty Medical Officers of the First Foundation Training Programme
The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the General Duty Medical Officers of the 2nd Foundation Training Programme. The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) of the 2nd Foundation Course conducted by the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi.jpg
The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the General Duty Medical Officers of the 2nd Foundation Training Programme.
The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the General Duty Medical Officers of the 3rd Foundation Training Programme. Ram Nath Kovind with the General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) of the Central Health Service (CHS) attending the 3rd Foundation Training Programme, at the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW).JPG
The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the General Duty Medical Officers of the 3rd Foundation Training Programme.

General Duty Medical Officers of the CHS undergo their Foundation Training Program (FTP) with special focus on Health administration at the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), New Delhi. [17] [18]

Participating Units of CHS

CHS officers are posted at various participating units/organisations all over India.

Cadre Structure

Cadre structure as per the CHS Rules 2014 [19] and the CHS Amendment Rules 2019 [20]

CENTRAL HEALTH SERVICE (CHS)
Sl. No.Sub-CadreSanctioned Strength [21]
1General Duty Medical Officers (GDMO)2319
2Teaching Specialist (T)1716
3Non-Teaching Specialist (NT)654
4Public Health Specialist (PH)104
Total4793
GradeGDMOTeaching

Specialist

Non-Teaching

Specialist

Public Health

Specialist

Pay Level in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix
Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Level - 17
Special Director General of Health ServicesLevel - 17
Additional Director General of Health ServicesLevel - 15
Senior Administrative Grade (SAG)
GP- 10000		Senior Chief Medical Officer (SAG)Director ProfessorConsultantAdvisorLevel - 14
Non Functional Selection Grade (NFSG)
GP- 8700		Chief Medical Officer (NFSG)ProfessorSpecialist Grade ISpecialist Grade ILevel - 13
Junior Administrative Grade (JAG)
GP- 7600		Chief Medical OfficerAssociate ProfessorSpecialist Grade IISpecialist Grade IILevel - 12
Senior Time Scale (STS)
GP- 6600		Senior Medical OfficerAssistant ProfessorSpecialist Grade IIISpecialist Grade IIILevel - 11
Junior Time Scale (JTS)
GP - 5400		Medical OfficerLevel - 10

Career Progression

Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) Scheme

Central Health Service Officers are covered under the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) Scheme which provides time-bound promotion up to Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) without linkage to vacancies. [22]

Years of Service1234567891011121314151617181920Senior Administrative Grade Level 14
GDMO

Sub-cadre

Medical OfficerSenior Medical OfficerChief Medical OfficerChief Medical Officer (NFSG)
Level/GradeLevel 10Level 11Level 12Level 13
Years of Service12345678910111213
Specialists

Sub-cadres

Grade IIIGrade IIGrade I

Promotion to Higher Administrative Grade (HAG)

Vacancy based promotion from a combined eligibility list of Senior Administrative Grade (Level 14) officers from all the four sub-cadres of CHS. [6]

Non-Functional Upgradation

Whenever an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer is posted at the Centre at a particular Grade, the Batch of Officers of the Organised Group A Services (including CHS) who are senior by two years or more, and not yet promoted to that Grade are granted non-functional financial upgradation to that Grade. [23]

Special Allowances

Non Practicing Allowance (NPA)

Paid at the rate of 20% of Basic Pay, subject to the condition that the sum of Basic Pay and NPA does not exceed ₹2,37,500 (the average of Apex Level and the Level of Cabinet Secretary). NPA is treated as Pay for the purpose of calculation of Dearness Allowance and other allowances, except where the orders explicitly state otherwise, including for calculation of retirement benefits. [24]

Post Graduate Allowance

Paid to CHS Officers of GDMO sub-cadre, upto the level of CMO(NFSG), who possess Post-Graduate Degree and Post-Graduate Diploma, at the rate of ₹2250 and ₹1350 respectively. The rates increases by 25% each time the Dearness Allowance (DA) rises by 50%. [25]

Retirement

As per Rule 56 clause (bb) of the Fundamental Rules 1922, the age of superannuation of the Central Health Service (CHS) officers is 62 years, unless they exercise the option of posting to non-administrative posts, in case they desire to continue in their service up to the age of 65 years. [26] [27]

The officers who joined the service before 1st January 2004 are covered under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules 1972 , which provides an assured pension on retirement. The Officers who joined on or after 1st January 2004 are covered under National Pension System , which is a contributory pension scheme. The Government has introduced the Unified Pension Scheme with effect from 1st April 2025 which ensures a defined payout on retirement. [28] [29]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Shortage of Doctors in Government Hospitals". pib.gov.in.
  2. ↑ "Press Release: Press Information Bureau".
  3. ↑ "Updated list of Central Organised Group A Civil Services" (PDF).
  4. ↑ "Cadre Controlling Ministries".
  5. ↑ New Indian Express: A Case for an Indian Health Service
  6. 1 2 3 "CHS Rules 2014" (PDF).
  7. ↑ 8th Annual Report of UPSC, 1958
  8. ↑ 10th Annual Report of UPSC, 1960
  9. ↑ "Annual Report of the Department of Health and Family Welfare 2023-2024" (PDF).
  10. ↑ 14th Annual Report of UPSC, 1964
  11. ↑ 19th Annual Report of UPSC, 1969
  12. 1 2 27th Annual Report of UPSC, 1977
  13. ↑ 30th Annual Report of UPSC, 1980
  14. ↑ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). eparlib.nic.in.
  15. ↑ https://upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Notifica-CMSE-2024-engl-100424.pdf
  16. ↑ UPSC Advertisement for the recruitment of CHS Specialist Grade Officers
  17. ↑ https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://nihfw.ac.in/Doc/circular%2520FTP%255B18241%255D.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjKqYrS64CLAxUwUGwGHc1pIF0QFnoECC8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw1eZzQ7SmFboU_EECPF21U7
  18. ↑ https://nihfw.ac.in/Doc/Advt.%20for%205th%20CHS%20Training.pdf
  19. ↑ https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/40341676761406801162.pdf CHS Rules 2014
  20. ↑ https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/CHS%20%28Amendment%29%20Rules%2C%202019.pdf CHS (Amendment) Rules 2019
  21. ↑ Annual Report of the Department of Health and Family Welfare 2024-2025
  22. ↑ DACP scheme for CHS doctors
  23. ↑ "Non Functional Upgradation DoPT" (PDF).
  24. ↑ https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/3_2.pdf
  25. ↑ https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/4_2.pdf
  26. ↑ "extension of superannuation age" (PDF).
  27. ↑ New Indian Express: Retirement age of central govt doctors raised to 65 years
  28. ↑ https://frontline.thehindu.com/politics/india-pension-controversy-ups-nps-ops-reforms-government-employees/article68639406.ece
  29. ↑ https://www.businesstoday.in/personal-finance/retirement-planning/story/ups-to-offer-assured-pension-minister-explains-difference-between-nps-and-ups-469695-2025-03-27


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