RBE No. 59/2026: AYUSH Committee Recommendations implemented in existing five Railway Hospitals
RBE No. 59/2026
भारत सरकार GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
रेल मंत्रालय MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(रेलवे बोर्ड) (RAILWAY BOARD)
No. 2026/E(W)/20/5
New Delhi, dated 13.07.2026
The General Managers (P)
ER, NR, NFR, SR & WR.
Sub: Implementation of AYUSH Committee Report in existing five Railway Hospitals.
Ref: Board’s letters No. E(W)/2016/ISM/3 dated 29.04.2016.
A Committee was constituted with ED/Health as Convener and ED/E(N) & EDF(E) as Members, to formulate a policy on rationalization of AYUSH Consultants and Ayurvedic/Homoeopathic Consultants paid from SBF. The final report submitted by Committee has been approved by CRB & CEO, inter-alia directing that the recommendations be implemented initially at five selected units and the scheme be reviewed thereafter based on feedback received from these units.
2. Since, as per Board’s letter under Ref., AYUSH facilities are being provided to Railway Beneficiaries in five Railway Central Hospitals through Staff Benefit Fund (SBF) viz. (1) B. R. Singh Hospital, Sealdah, Eastern Railway; (2) Northern Railway Central, Hospital, New Delhi; (3) Central Hospital, Malegaon, Guwahati, Northeast Frontier Railway; (4) Central Hospital, Perambur, Chennai, Southern Railway; and (5) J. R. Hospital, Mumbai, Western Railway, hence recommendations of the Committee (Para 4 of the Committee Report) w.r.t. AYUSH Consultants for implementations in these Hospitals are enclosed as Annexure-I.
3. The Railways are advised to furnish the feedback within 6 months with regard to patient footfall, customer satisfaction & performance of Consultants.
4. This issues in consultation with Health Dte. of Railway Board and with the approval of Competent Authority.
(Rashmi Dahiya)
Deputy Director Estt.(Welfare)
Railway Board
Phone No.: 011-47845543
E-mail: drrashmigodara.rb[@]gov.in
Annexure-I to Board’s letter No. 2026/E(W)/20/5 dated 13.07.2026 {based-on Para 4 of Report of the Committee}
RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE COMMITTEE
1. Hiring of AYUSH Consultants for 8 Hrs or 4 Hrs may be continued as per the local requirement which shall be reviewed by the Railways from time to time based upon patronage of the AYUSH system.
2. Introduction of new AYUSH OPD facilities in addition to the present OPD being operated by engaging 125 AYUSH Consultants, should be limited to the 31 Railway Hospitals having 150 beds and above. However, in case of demands from beneficiaries, the General Manager may approve the functioning of new AYUSH Clinics in hospitals with less than 150 beds, after a critical evaluation of each such demand on a case-to-case basis.
3. Regular monitoring of. performance should be carried out by nominated officers at the Divisional/Zonal level (to be nominated by the SBF Committee), and based on one-year data, hours of operation can be increased in case there is great demand for a particular system. Similarly, underutilized systems may be dropped.
4. The age limit of AYUSH Practitioners engaged on the contract should be 70 years. This means that presently working AYUSH consultants shall work up to one day before their seventieth birthday. New applicants or applicants for renewal with less than one year to attaining the age of seventy should not be considered for a one-year contract.
5. Engagement of AYUSH doctors on the contract basis in Railways is to be done as per the existing recruitment process keeping in view the modified Recruitment rules annexed as Annexure-II. Besides, one expert in the specific system should be co-opted in the selection committee from a recognized Hospital.
6. The welfare section of the respective personnel branch shall assess the estimated expenditure on account of payment of emoluments to AYUSH Practitioners and communicate the same to the concerned CMS/MD for ensuring projection of funds in Budget Estimate under Accounts Head SMH-09, Detailed Head 291.
7. Other Terms and Conditions for engagement of AYUSH Practitioners (Consultants) should be as follows:
(i) The Practitioners will be engaged by the Personnel Department of the concerned Railways through open advertisement in a fair and transparent manner.
(ii) The Practitioner will not be considered as a Railway employee.
(iii) His/Her engagement will be purely ona temporary basis.
(iv) His/Her service is terminable by the Personnel Branch on one month’s notice on either side or completion of the contract period without any notice.
(v) The engagement of the Practitioners will be for a term not exceeding one year at a time and Subsequent terms will be subject to review at the end of the term based on performance.
(vi) The re-engagement of practitioners may be for 20 terms of 12 months each or up to an age of 70 years, whichever occurs earlier on the same terms & conditions .after completion of initial period of engagement of 1 year on the recommendation of the Committee of the concerned Railway.
However, a minimum gap of 7 days shall be ensured after completion of the ongoing term and joining for the next term of practitioner.
These guidelines shall be applicable with prospective effect 1.6. the existing professionals engaged as per the contemporaneous rules would not be affected with anything contrary to the terms and conditions of their current engagement. However, their further continuity beyond current term and discharge, if any contemplated now (after issue of these revised guidelines) would be governed by these guidelines.
(vii). The service of Practitioners will be discontinued automatically upon attaining the age of 70 years.
(viii) The engaged Practitioner will attend the hospital for 04 hours or more as decided by the Railways daily on all working days of the week except the days on which the office will remain Closed. If the working hours per day are increased/decreased, the remuneration being paid will also be increased/decreased proportionately by the Railways. Remuneration being paid per month to AYUSH consultant for working of 4 hrs daily should be taken as a benchmark while deciding a remuneration for more or less than 04 hrs daily:
(ix) The Practitioners will be given working facilities in one of the rooms at the hospital for which necessary equipment/furniture and materials will be supplied by the Railway.
(x) He/She will be responsible for proper maintenance of equipment, furniture and material given in his/her custody.
(xi) The Practitioners will maintain a record of all OPD patients attended in a register (computerized system if provided), so that the exact work load can be assessed for further analysis.
(xi) The Practitioner is not permitted to issue any certificate to Railway beneficiaries for any purpose whatsoever.
(xiii) The Practitioner will be entitled to 08 days leave in a year on full payment of honorarium out of which not more than 04-days leave will be allowed to be availed at a stretch. Any period of absence above this limit will be proportionately adjusted against his/her monthly honorarium.
(xiv) The Practitioner will only attend to the patients at Railway Hospital.
(xv) No Railway residential accommodation will be provided to the Practitioner.
(xvi) No Passes/PTOs/Medical or other fringe benefits as available to, other Railway employees will be allowed except as already permitted.
(xvii) Retired railway employees are not eligible-for the post.
8. All Railway Hospitals where AYUSH Clinics are operational should explore the possibility of MoU in line with Central Hospital, Jaipur, NWR (Annexure-III). Such MOU should be with AYUSH Hospitals specializing in one or more systems and fully recognized by the Ministry of AYUSH and will ensure AYUSH Consultants in Railway Hospital will be selected by technical experts in the field.
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