Tripura Bans Private Practice, Doctors Demand Reforms

Tripura's state government, led by Chief Minister Manik Saha, has enacted a sweeping reform, banning private practice for doctors at the state's premier healthcare institutions, GB Hospital and Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC). This dramatic shift, announced on June 24, 2026, aims to funnel specialist expertise entirely into public service, backed by a 20% non-practicing allowance on basic salaries for affected medical professionals. The move, intended to bolster patient care and reduce wait times, has ignited a fierce debate within the medical community. While the AGMC Teachers' Forum has largely welcomed the ban, they are simultaneously pushing for long-overdue service reforms, including updated Tripura Medical Education Service Rules, revised pay scales aligning with University Grants Commission norms and Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, and clear promotion policies. Conversely, the Superspeciality Doctors' Forum has vocally opposed the 'unilateral' decision, arguing it overlooks critical issues like staff shortages and infrastructure gaps, and could prompt specialists to resign rather than be forced into a new service agreement. With approximately 350 doctors affected initially, the government faces the challenge of effective implementation and retaining skilled personnel, potentially expanding the policy to other hospitals in the future. Meanwhile, the administration plans to recruit 186 Technical Assistants through the Joint Recruitment Board of Tripura to support the enhanced public healthcare delivery. The success of this Healthcare Reform hinges on the government's ability to address the doctors' demands for improved working conditions and career progression, ensuring that the ban genuinely elevates healthcare quality rather than sparking a mass exodus of specialists.