Telangana lab tech selection list out; experts urge hiring aligned to rising diagnostic load

Hyderabad: The Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board (MHSRB) has released the final selection list for Lab Technician Grade-II posts across Telangana’s major health institutions.

The recruitment notification, issued on September 11, 2024, aimed to fill critical vacancies under the Directorate of Public Health (DPH), Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) and the MNJ Institute of Oncology & RCC.

Telangana’s expanding diagnostic load

Over the past decade, Telangana’s public health system has seen a rise in diagnostic requirements ranging from infectious disease testing and maternal health panels to cancer diagnostics and NCD screenings. With new medical colleges and district hospitals opening, demand for trained laboratory personnel has increased significantly.

Doctors across government hospitals had repeatedly highlighted the pressure on existing lab staff.

Dr R Vikram, a microbiologist speaking to NewsMeter, said, “Laboratory technicians form the first link in diagnosis. Without adequate staffing, even emergency cases face delays. This recruitment was overdue.”

Exam and applicant data

The 2024 notification announced 1,284 Lab Technician Grade-II posts, split as:

• DPH/DME: 1,088

• TVVP: 183

• MNJ Cancer Hospital: 13

The Computer-Based Test (CBT) was conducted on November 10, 2024, with high participation:

• 24,045 candidates applied

• 23,323 candidates wrote the exam

Selection list released

MHSRB has selected 1,260 candidates for appointment.

Vacancies remain in certain categories:

• 4 posts are vacant due to interim orders of the High Court.

• 2 posts under the Hearing Handicapped category could not be filled due to a lack of eligible candidates.

• 18 sports quota posts are unfilled; the board will release a separate list for these.

Doctors say these recruitments will ease long-standing bottlenecks.

Dr Shravani, a government pathologist, noted, “In many hospitals, one technician handles work meant for three. New appointments will reduce errors and improve turnaround time for tests.”

Impact on public health facilities

The addition of over 1,200 lab technicians is expected to strengthen diagnostic capacity across:

• Teaching hospitals

• District and area hospitals

• Primary Health Centres (PHCs)

• MNJ Cancer Hospital

Doctors working in cancer care emphasised the importance of scaling up manpower.

Dr A Naveen, an oncologist, said, “Oncology depends heavily on timely lab reports, blood panels, biopsies, and tumour markers. Additional technicians will directly improve patient flow and treatment planning.”

What’s next

Selected candidates will receive appointment orders following the usual document verification process. The sports category list will be released after detailed scrutiny.

With more medical infrastructure projects underway, senior clinicians believe this recruitment should be part of a continuing effort.

As Dr Vikram added, “Diagnostics in government hospitals are expanding every year. Recruitment must keep pace with service load, not just fill existing gaps.”