A Central Government reply tabled in Parliament has revealed significant vacancies in nursing and paramedical posts across three major Chandigarh institutions — the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Sector 16, and Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH) Sector 32 — even as the administration maintains that services are being managed with available staff. The reply, furnished by Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav, shows that PGIMER has 247 vacant nursing posts against a sanctioned strength of 2,597, and 120 paramedical vacancies against 856 sanctioned posts. GMCH-16 has 281 nursing vacancies out of 1,264 sanctioned posts and 86 paramedical vacancies out of 330. GMSH-32 has 30 nursing vacancies out of 154 and 70 paramedical vacancies out of 233. While GMCH and GMSH have reported “no delay in promotions”, PGIMER attributed its stagnation in nursing promotions to an ongoing restructuring exercise and a judicial restraint. The minister stated that PGIMER’s “3rd Cadre Review” for various non-faculty posts, including nursing, had been carried out. However, the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh, …