Health Minister K.G. Arunraj said the government order regularising 2,500 consolidated-pay nurses in government hospitals — the first phase of the plan announced in the Assembly in August — will be issued in two to three weeks.
Health Minister K.G. Arunraj said the government order regularising 2,500 consolidated-pay nurses in government hospitals — the first phase of the plan announced in the Assembly in August — will be issued in two to three weeks.
The government order to make 2,500 consolidated-pay nurses in Tamil Nadu’s government hospitals permanent will be issued within two to three weeks, Health and Family Welfare Minister K.G. Arunraj said. He spoke to reporters after inspecting the Asaripallam Government Medical College Hospital in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district.
The step fulfils an announcement the minister made in the Assembly on August 17, 2026, during the debate on the Health Department’s demands for grants:
| Announcement (Aug 17) | Number |
|---|---|
| New permanent nursing posts on time-scale pay, filled by seniority | 2,500 |
| Temporary super-specialist doctor posts on time-scale pay (25 specialities) | 284 |
| Medical staff to be selected through the Medical Staff Selection Board | 3,594 |
| New consolidated-pay nursing posts | 1,695 |
| Senior citizens aged 70+ covered by health insurance, no income limit | about 38 lakh |
The Democratic Nurses Association thanked the government at the time. It said about 7,000 nurses recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board had been waiting 7 to 10 years for permanent jobs.
Consolidated-pay nurses do the same work as permanent staff but without the same pay scale, increments or job security. Moving 2,500 of them onto regular posts gives them a time-scale salary and a secure career, and helps government hospitals keep experienced nurses.
Nurses Health Department Regularisation K.G. Arunraj Government Hospitals Day 161