NEW DELHI: The government plans to introduce a national award to honour and celebrate the clinical excellence of doctors across specialties, filling a major recognition gap within India’s medical fraternity, according to two officials familiar with the matter.
The proposed award, modeled on the lines of the historic National Florence Nightingale Award for nursing professionals, will be of immense significance for 1.3 million medical practitioners registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Indian doctors have been without a centralized, top-tier government accolade since 2022, when the NMC discontinued the iconic Dr. B.C. Roy National Award—previously the highest honour achievable by a doctor in India—as part of a broader rationalization of national awards.
Discussions are underway within the health ministry to finalize the structural framework, eligibility criteria and selection parameters of the planned award. According to senior officials, the primary objective is to rebuild institutional morale and incentivize groundbreaking work within specialized medicine.
"We are actively working out the modalities so that doctors feel deeply encouraged and motivated to perform at the highest levels. The idea is to showcase their unmatched expertise and talent in different specialties, establishing a benchmark of national gratitude similar to what our nursing heroes receive,” one official said.
“The idea of having a prestigious national award for doctors is a welcome and much-needed step. Doctors stand with people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Their contribution to society extends far beyond hospitals and clinics,” said Dr. Aashish Chaudhry, managing director of Aakash Healthcare, a super-speciality hospital in New Delhi.
During the covid-19 pandemic, thousands of doctors worked tirelessly on the frontlines, often at great personal risk, to save lives. Recognizing excellence, dedication, innovation and selfless service through a high-level national award will not only honor deserving doctors but also inspire future generations of medical professionals, he said.
Prestige compromised
Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered till press time.
The Dr. B.C. Roy Award, instituted in 1962 by the Medical Council of India (now the NMC), was presented every year on 1 July, which is celebrated as National Doctors' Day in India.
“The Dr. B.C. Roy Award had unfortunately become deeply politicized over the years. Complaints regarding internal irregularities and favouritism had compromised its prestige, leading to the decision to scrap it in 2022,” an official familiar with the development explained.
"There were instances of irregularities and nepotism, but recognizing doctors is always welcome—provided deserving individuals receive it," said Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, immediate past president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), a body representing more than 400,000 doctors across the country. "This initiative must not turn into a political exercise to please certain individuals. I recommend setting up an independent, three-member selection committee comprising one representative each from the government, the NMC, and the IMA to finalize recipients fairly.”
Prof. (Dr) K Srinath Reddy, former president of the Public Health Foundation of India, said that the proposal to accord public recognition to doctors for their meritorious accomplishments and dedicated service is laudable.
“Trust in the medical profession has been undermined due to conflicts arising from distorted professional norms, eroded ethics, fake news, spurious scientific claims and unmet demands that are blamed on overburdened health professionals rather than on poorly designed and under-resourced health systems,” he said. “While society needs to celebrate the inspiring legacy of Dr B.C. Roy, the medical profession needs role models to emulate.”
The National Florence Nightingale Awards, instituted in 1973, were presented to 15 nurses in May.