Bihar Government Extends AYUSH Joining Deadline:In a significant administrative update from Patna, the Bihar government has extended the deadline for newly appointed AYUSH doctors to join their postings, including Dr Nusrat Parveen, whose appointment has become the centre of a heated political and social debate. Originally, newly selected AYUSH practitioners were expected to report for duty by December 20, 2025, but many did not do so. Following a first extension to December 31, the administration has now pushed the deadline further to January 7, 2026, providing what officials describe as “another chance” for those yet to join, most notably Dr Parveen.
Bihar Government Extends AYUSH Joining Deadline
This latest extension comes amid concern from health authorities about understaffed primary health services in the state. Doctors of Ayush trained in traditional systems like Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Unani are significant in community health programs, which include child screening and early disease detection under the initiatives like the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram.
After Zaira Wasim, Javed Akhtar Slams Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Over Hijab Row, Demands Apology
The Hijab Controversy
Dr. Nusrat Parveen, the young AYUSH doctor, was not at all known for her medical skills and the community work, but rather because of the video that went viral from a government appointment ceremony held on 15th December 2025. The video showed Chief Minister Bihar Nitish Kumar confronting her hijab and pulling it mostly off or rearranging it while he was on stage handing over appointment letters.
The event very rapidly went beyond administrative and news, getting discussions on religious freedom, women’s dignity, and political conduct in India to ignite. The critics called the act disrespectful and inappropriate not only to all women in general but especially to this professional woman who had gone through a thorough selection process to get her position. Some legal complaints were even lodged outside Bihar, for instance, in Kolkata, where an FIR was filed alleging the act was intended to “outrage religious sentiments.”
Why Dr. Nusrat Has Not Yet Joined Duty?
Dr. Parveen has not joined her duty even after multiple extensions of her joining deadline. She was supposed to report to Sabalpur Primary Health Centre in Patna Sadar. According to the latest information, she has not only remained absent but also has not communicated her intention to the health department. The authorities mention that out of the 75 AYUSH doctors appointed in Patna district, 63 have joined, and thus, only a few including Dr. Parveen, are left to be joined.
Patna Civil Surgeon Dr Avinash Kumar Singh along with other officials has confirmed that Dr Parveen has not gone through the formal reporting procedures like collecting the appointment letter and submitting joining papers. It is said that there are still attempts to persuade her to accept the posting through unofficial channels.
Now that the deadline has been extended till 7th January 2026, everyone is watching whether Dr Parveen will come to her post and how the state government will handle the difficult task of maintaining administrative norms while taking into account social and cultural sensitivities.
