A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has criticised the government’s reliance on contractual hiring, arguing that the absence of permanent recruitment discourages talented researchers from committing to long-term projects.
Published Mar 16, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 16, 2025 | 8:00 AM
A medical researcher in a lab. (iStock)
Synopsis: India’s medical research sector is under threat of falling behind global standards due to vacant scientific positions and the exodus of skilled researchers abroad, a parliamentary panel has warned. In a report presented to parliament on 12 March, it criticised the government’s reliance on contractual hiring and urged immediate action to fill long-standing vacancies.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has raised alarm over long-standing vacancies in scientific positions and the ongoing exodus of top health researchers to foreign institutions, warning that these issues are hindering India’s progress in medical science.
In a report presented to Parliament on Wednesday, 12 March, the panel noted that several scientist positions in the Department of Health Research (DHR) have remained unfilled since 2017, leading to stagnation in research.
“The Committee expresses its concerns about the continuing brain drain – the exodus of trained, proficient, and talented Indian professionals to developed countries,” the report stated.
It further criticised the government’s reliance on contractual hiring, arguing that the absence of permanent recruitment discourages talented researchers from committing to long-term projects.
The report emphasised that public funding is the primary driver of health research and called for urgent action to fill vacancies in a structured manner, warning that failure to act could put India’s medical research ecosystem at risk of falling behind global standards.
“Notwithstanding this, the Committee takes strong exception to the posts remaining vacant for so long and, therefore, recommends that urgent measures, beyond the ordinary procedure, be taken to fill the vacant posts,” the report stated.
It further warned that temporary hiring for roles requiring continuity could undermine critical research projects.
“The Committee would like to put on record that the adoption of stop-gap measures such as contractual appointments for significant scientific posts is totally unacceptable. The ad-hoc approach and practice of contractual hiring should be discontinued,” the report stated.
Beyond staffing shortages, the Committee highlighted the large-scale migration of Indian scientists to foreign institutions due to low salaries, limited research funding, and lack of career growth opportunities.
“India’s brain drain is caused by a lack of higher education options, inadequate research funding and facilities, lower pay and benefits compared to global standards in both the public and private sectors, and fewer opportunities for career progression, particularly in specialised fields,” the report noted.
It added that lack of transparency, inadequate protection of research ownership, and bureaucratic delays further push researchers abroad.
Similarly, the current monthly stipend offered to attract Non-Resident Indian (NRI) researchers has failed to retain talent, the Committee noted, recommending more flexible remuneration models.
“The Committee, while aware of funding limitations, is not fully convinced that a consolidated stipend of ₹1.2 lakh per month for three years under the scheme is adequate to attract professionals from abroad,” the report said.
The Committee also raised concerns over delays in constructing research centres under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), urging faster implementation and streamlined approval processes.
Despite increased budget allocations, many projects remain stalled due to bureaucratic inefficiencies, the panel noted.
Another key recommendation was the creation of a National Antibiotic Policy to curb the unregulated use of antibiotics, which is fuelling antimicrobial resistance in India.
Environmental health also featured prominently in the report, with the Committee advocating for a dedicated Environmental Health Regulatory Agency to study the impact of air, water, and soil pollution on public health.
Given the rise in pollution-related diseases, the panel stressed the need to prioritise research in this field.
Meanwhile, recognising the growing prominence of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, the Committee called for greater investment in AI-driven research under the ICMR-National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science.
However, it emphasised that strong data protection regulations must accompany such initiatives to safeguard patient privacy and ensure ethical AI use.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
