Are CGHS centres closed from August 27-31, 2026? Ministry responds as confusion prevails
A fake notice falsely claimed CGHS wellness centres closure due to NEET-PG examination duties. The Directorate of CGHS and PIB Fact Check have denied the authenticity of this notice. Beneficiaries are advised to rely only on official CGHS communication channels. Necessary arrangements will ensure uninterrupted services for all CGHS members.
The directorate of CGHS, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, has clarified that the Central Government Health Scheme’s (CGHS) wellness centres will remain open from August 27 to 31, 2026, as per their regular working schedules. The clarification comes after a fake notice claiming that the centres would remain closed during these five days started circulating.The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check team has also informed that a notice is being widely circulated on social media claiming that CGHS wellness centres/dispensaries will remain closed from August 27-31, 2026, due to the deployment of medical officers for NEET-PG examination duty.The PIB Fact Check team also confirmed that the notice has neither been issued nor authorised by the Directorate of CGHS.Ministry denies closure of Wellness CentresIn a circular dated August 22, 2026, the directorate of CGHS, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, said that an unauthorised notice carrying the CGHS name and logo was being circulated.The directorate said that the notice claimed that CGHS wellness centres would be closed from August 27 to August 31 because medical officers had been assigned duty for the NEET-PG examination.The directorate has made it clear that the notice was neither issued nor approved by the CGHS, and its contents are false.CGHS wellness centres will continue to provide services during this period according to their prescribed working hours, says the circular.No disruption in CGHS servicesThe directorate said that if CGHS staff are required for other official duties, the necessary arrangements will be made to ensure that services to beneficiaries are not affected.Additional directors of CGHS have been asked to ensure adequate staffing and duty arrangements at wellness centres under their jurisdiction, as per the circular.They have also been directed to make beneficiaries aware of the clarification and ensure that the fake notice is not displayed or circulated through any CGHS office or official, says theCGHS beneficiaries advised to ignore fake noticeCGHS beneficiaries and members of the public have been advised to disregard the notice claiming that wellness centres will remain closed from August 27 to August 31.
The directorate has asked beneficiaries to check CGHS-related information only through official sources, including the CGHS website, the myCGHS 2.0 app or the concerned CGHS authorities.When are CGHS wellness centres closed? As per the CGHS website, wellness centres remain closed on all central government holidays. However, if three consecutive holidays fall together, a wellness centre will not remain closed for more than two consecutive days.CGHS wellness centre timingsCGHS wellness centres are generally open from 7:30 am to 2:00 pm on all working days, except where emergency services are available.For wellness centres offering emergency services, the timings are:Regular OPD services: 7:30 am to 1:30 pmLimited emergency services: 1:30 pm to 7:30 amWhat is the procedure to get a CGHS card?
Pensioners can get a CGHS card made from the office of the additional director of thecity, where the beneficiary resides. Forms can be downloaded from the CGHSwebsite, cghs.gov.in, at the linkhttps://cghs.gov.in/CghsGovIn/faces/ViewPage.xhtml.What are the criteria for entitlement of hospital ward endorsed on CGHS card in CGHS empanelled hospitals? The entitlement of hospital wards in private hospitals empanelled under the CGHS is asunder:S No. ward entitlementCorresponding basic pay drawn by the officer in the 7th CPC per month1 general ward up to Rs 36,500/-2 Semi-rivate ward Rs 36,501 to Rs 50,500/-3 private ward Rs 50,501 and above