The Karnataka State government has prohibited government doctors from treating in-patients in private hospitals under their private practice. This decision aims to prevent disruption in public hospital services and ensure continuous patient care. The Health Department issued this order on January 28, 2026. While private practice by government doctors is still allowed, it must not interfere with their official duties. The government explained that treating in-patients privately requires longer clinical time, which "may adversely affect" service delivery at government hospitals. The move follows concerns raised by the Lokayukta and other authorities about patient neglect linked to doctors attending private in-patients. Some reports connected patient deaths to doctors diverting their time from public hospitals. The Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission also recommended regulating private practice, especially where there is a staff shortage. Citing examples from Kerala, Karnataka now limits private practice for government doctors to out-patient consultations (OPD) only and only outside government duty hours. Doctors must work at a single private clinic or hospital and formally declare details to the government. The government emphasized, "private practice must not hamper regular duties and attendance." Any breach of these rules will be treated as misconduct under the Karnataka Civil Services Rules and may have legal consequences. The order takes immediate effect and aligns with existing guidelines on private practice. Officials noted that this order responds to complaints about workload shifts, patient care delays, and fragmented supervision caused by private practice. Karnataka has allowed private practice for decades but revisits rules to improve public patient care. The new order requires stricter compliance from doctors consulting at multiple private centers.