Bikaner, Oct. 3 -- The Rajasthan health department has launched a statewide drive to trace 678 government doctors who have failed to report for duty, with official records showing that some have remained absent from the government health system for more than two decades. The department has issued a final notice directing all 678 doctors to appear in person at the directorate of health services headquarters in Jaipur by October 5. Those who fail to comply face termination proceedings, action concerning their medical registration and recovery of government dues, including postgraduate training bond amounts wherever applicable. The notice, issued on September 30 and signed by director (public health) Dr Ravi Prakash Sharma, invokes Rule 86(4) of the Rajasthan Service Rules, 1951, and Rule 29 of the Rajasthan Service Rules, 1963, for initiating termination proceedings against doctors who fail to report. "This is the final warning to the absentees. Those who fail to report by October 5 will face action under the relevant service rules," Sharma told HT. "We will also approach the Rajasthan Medical Council for action concerning their registrations and initiate recovery of the Rs.25 lakh bond amount from doctors who underwent postgraduate training under the government's in-service quota." The records show the department's oldest case dates back to July 7, 2004, involving a paediatrician, who was recorded as absent from government service. Another long-pending case concerns a general surgeon, who has reportedly remained absent since February 21, 2007. The list, however, is not limited to old cases. Some of the latest instances involve doctors who failed to join their allotted postings as recently as August 11, 2025. According to the department, the doctors on the list include those who failed to join after transfer, did not return to government service after completing postgraduate courses or remained absent despite being issued deployment orders. The department has described the continued absence as a violation of the Rajasthan Service Rules and defiance of directions issued by administrative superiors. It has termed the conduct "gross negligence" towards public duty and state work. The scale of the shortage is significant, with more than 300 of the 678 doctors listed being specialists. The list includes 41 orthopaedic surgeons, 37 anaesthetists, 23 general surgeons, 44 gynaecologists, 43 paediatricians and 39 radiologists. It also includes five super-specialists. The largest category comprises 362 MBBS medical officers. Among other specialists are 35 general medicine doctors, 17 ophthalmologists, 14 ENT specialists and 12 specialists in tuberculosis and respiratory medicine. The department's list also includes 11 specialists from pathology, microbiology and biochemistry, 10 dental surgeons, eight dermatologists and five psychiatrists. The absence of such doctors is particularly significant for the state's public healthcare system, where government facilities rely heavily on specialist services at district hospitals, community health centres and other institutions. The department had previously issued a notice on May 1, 2026, directing the absent doctors to report for duty. The September 30 communication has now been issued as the final opportunity before disciplinary action is initiated. The doctors have been asked to appear personally at the Directorate of Health Services headquarters by October 5 and submit the required documents concerning their service status. The department's move comes as state's public health system continues to require doctors across primary, secondary and tertiary care facilities. By seeking to trace long-absent doctors and initiate action against those who do not respond, the health department is attempting to clean up its service records while also enforcing government posting and attendance orders....