CHENNAI: The Health and Family Welfare Department has flagged serious discrepancies in the engagement and posting of contract nurses appointed during the COVID-19 period. It has also sought a detailed report and disciplinary action against officials involved in irregular appointments.
In a letter dated February 4, Additional Chief Secretary P Senthilkumar pointed out inconsistencies in the numbers of nurses terminated in 2022.
While earlier proposals stated that 818 nurses engaged through the Medical Recruitment Board on a merit basis were relieved on March 31, 2022, and 2,366 nurses appointed on merit and communal rotation were relieved on December 31, 2022, the latest proposal placed the figures at 823 and 2,437 respectively. The revised numbers put the total at 3,260.
The letter from the department also noted that posting orders had already been issued to 72 candidates from the terminated lists, including 38 among a group of 977 petitioners, without these details being disclosed in earlier proposals. Further, 34 candidates who did not figure in either of the two lists were issued posting orders on November 29, 2024, without prior approval of the State government.
Discrepancies were also found in the lists furnished on January 8, 2026, with some names newly included and others omitted when compared with the earlier list of 2,366 candidates. The State government has deferred consideration of fresh representations from other COVID-period appointees and has sought authenticated bank statements to verify salary payments to candidates allegedly appointed without approval.
Senthilkumar recommended disciplinary action under the Tamil Nadu Civil Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules against officials who dealt with the files leading to the irregular appointments. The officials named include the Assistant, Office Superintendent, Junior Administrative Officer, Administrative Officer and the Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services.
The State government also directed that action be initiated against retired officials, wherever applicable, under the Tamil Nadu Pension Rules, 1978. It ordered the immediate transfer of erring officials still working in the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services out of the head office.
The State government also specifically directed the transfer of Jayakumar, Administrative Officer, from the Directorate, citing his alleged role in the matter despite not being officially entrusted with the subject. An action taken report has been sought by March 5, 2026.