Patna, Jan 19 (PTI) The Patna High Court has noted the “dilapidated health of health departments" in states like Bihar, and directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to ensure filling up of "a large number of vacant posts" of doctors in a time-bound manner.

The order was passed by Justice Bibek Chaudhri while deciding a bunch of petitions filed by various medical practitioners from across Bihar.

The petitioners, all of them employed at different medical colleges and hospitals across the state, had challenged an order of the National Medical Commission (NMC) dated April 17, 2025, whereby face-based Aadhaar identification and sharing of GPS location had been made mandatory for marking attendance of the faculty members.

However, the petitions were dismissed by the court, saying, "apart from outraging the right to privacy, the petitioners have not come out with any other issue while challenging the Aadhaar-linked biometric system".

The court, however, added as a parting observation "this court is not unmindful to note that if a medical officer or a faculty member is compelled to work continuously for 24 hours, or 48 hours, or even 72 hours,.... the fleeing away of such overburdened, if not tortured, faculty members shall remain and though the instant writ petition is dismissed they will try to find out some other ways and means to avoid attendance".

The court, on January 17, pointed out that state-run and government-aided medical colleges were run by an inadequate number of faculty members, inefficient contractual teachers, and less than sufficient strength of lab technicians and administrative staff.

"This court anxiously notes that securing attendance of faculty members will not change the dilapidated health of health department(s) of state(s)", said the court, adding things will look up if "the vacancies are filled up".

"The NMC is directed to take appropriate action (by) directing state government(s) to initiate appoinment/recruitment drive to fill up huge number of vacant posts in medical teaching service within a time-bound period".

The court said that a copy of the order be sent to the National Medical Commission secretary for implementation of the observation of the Court, preferably within six months. PTI CORR NAC NN