Tamil Nadu Health Minister Arun Raj has asked applicants and employees to report anyone seeking bribes for nurse appointments, transfers or other service-related matters, promising action and protection of complainants’ identities.
The minister made the statement after attending a welcome programme for first-year students at the Government Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai. Ministers Arun Raj and Rajmohan were present at the event.
Speaking to reporters, Arun Raj said 4,724 nurses were being appointed through a transparent process to address shortages in the state’s healthcare system. He said the recruitment was being carried out without the payment of bribes.
The minister also referred to information that some individuals were collecting money by claiming they could secure jobs for candidates whose names had appeared in selection-related records. He asked anyone receiving such demands in connection with nursing posts to bring the matter directly to his attention.
“Whoever asks for a bribe for anything should immediately file a complaint,” the minister said, according to the report. He added that the identities of complainants would be protected and that action would be taken if bribes were sought in relation to nurse postings.
The warning places recruitment integrity alongside staffing capacity as an immediate administrative issue for Tamil Nadu’s public health system. The state is currently undertaking the appointment of 4,724 nurses, with the stated objective of reducing shortages in healthcare facilities. The minister did not provide details of the number of complaints received, the departments or individuals allegedly involved, or the mechanism through which complaints would be registered.
Arun Raj also addressed the spread of dengue in the state. He said 25,585 people had been affected by dengue in 2025, while 23,241 cases had been recorded so far this year. In Chennai alone, 118 people were confirmed to have dengue two days before the minister’s remarks, according to the report.
The minister said members of the public should not panic over the dengue situation. No further details on hospital capacity, deaths, containment measures or district-wise case patterns were provided in the statement.
The twin announcements link two operational pressures facing the public health administration: the need to expand frontline staffing and the need to ensure that appointments and postings are not compromised by alleged bribery. The minister said the government was functioning transparently and reiterated that complaints should be reported immediately.
The next stated step is for the Health Department to receive and act on complaints relating to bribe demands in nurse recruitment or postings, while the appointment process for the 4,724 nursing positions continues.
