Bihar extends again joining deadline of AYUSH docs, Parveen yet to report

Bihar extends AYUSH doctors' joining deadline to January 7. Controversy surrounds Dr. Nusrat Parveen, who has yet to report for duty after a viral incident.

The Bihar government has extended till January 7 the deadline for newly-appointed AYUSH doctors to join service, marking the second such extension in 11 days, an official said on Thursday.

Bihar extends again joining deadline of AYUSH docs, Parveen yet to report

Among those who did not report for duty by December 31 was Dr Nusrat Parveen, a young ayurvedic doctor who had come into the public spotlight after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar tugged her ‘hijab’ (veil) during an appointment-letter distribution ceremony at the CM’s secretariat on December 15, triggering a widespread controversy.

An order issued by the State Health Society, Bihar (SHSB) and signed by its executive director Amit Kumar Pandey on Wednesday said the joining date for candidates selected under advertisement number 05/2025 for contractual posts of AYUSH doctors — ayurveda, homeopathy and unani — had been extended following requests from candidates, many of whom are yet to report for duty. The order, uploaded on the SHSB website, did not specify how many of the selected candidates among the over 1,200 posts advertised have not joined across the state.

The original deadline of December 20 had earlier been extended to December 31. Despite the extension, several candidates did not join by the revised date.

“Dr Parveen did not join yesterday (Wednesday). She was supposed to report to my office, collect a letter and then submit her joining papers at the Patna Sadar office. She did not do so,” said Patna civil surgeon Dr Avinash Kumar Singh. He added that 63 of the 75 AYUSH doctors appointed in Patna district have joined service so far. None of the successful candidates reportedly joined the district between December 20 and December 31.

Sources said back-channel talks at a senior level were underway to persuade Dr Parveen to take up the assignment.

Dr Parveen has been appointed on contract as an AYUSH doctor under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), a national programme aimed at improving child health through screening from birth to 18 years of age for four categories — defects at birth, diseases, deficiencies and developmental delays—covering 32 common health conditions. As part of her role, she would be required to visit schools and anganwadi centres to screen children and facilitate early detection and free treatment, including surgeries at tertiary healthcare facilities.

A postgraduate from the Government Tibbi College and Hospital in Patna, Dr Parveen drew national attention after the December 15 incident, with Opposition leaders demanding an apology from the chief minister following the viral video clip on social media.