Bhore Committee, officially known as Health Survey and Development Committee, was established in 1943 by Government of India. Chaired by Sir Joseph Bhore, its mandate was to survey existing health conditions in British India and provide a blueprint for a future national health system.
The resulting report, submitted in 1946, is considered foundational philosophy for country’s post-independence public health infrastructure.
Core Philosophy: Socialized Medicine
Committee operated under radical (for its time) belief that state should be responsible for health of its citizens. Its recommendations were guided by four main principles:
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Equity: No individual should be denied medical care because of an inability to pay.
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Integration: Preventive and curative services must be integrated at all levels.
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Accessibility: Health services should be located as close to people as possible.
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Rural Focus: Since majority of Indians lived in villages, rural areas must be priority.
Key Recommendations
The committee proposed a comprehensive three-tier healthcare system, structured into short-term and long-term goals.
1. The Three-Tier System
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Primary Tier: To provide basic healthcare at village and block levels.
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Secondary Tier: To serve as a supervisory and referral institution for several primary units.
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Tertiary Tier: Specialized hospitals (District Hospitals) providing advanced care and medical education.
2. Primary Health Centres (PHCs)
The committee introduced concept of the Primary Health Centre (PHC).
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Short-term Plan: One PHC for every 40,000 people, staffed with two doctors, one nurse, and several auxiliary staff.
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Long-term Plan (The “3-Million Plan”): A much more ambitious goal of one primary health unit for every 10,000 to 20,000 people, with a 75-bed hospital attached.
3. Medical Education & Personnel
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Social Physician: The committee argued that doctors should be trained not just as clinicians but as “social physicians” who understand environmental and social causes of disease.
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Unified Standards: It recommended abolition of “licentiate” medical qualifications, replacing them with a single national standard: the MBBS degree.
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AIIMS: It proposed the creation of a major central institute for postgraduate medical education and research, which eventually led to the establishment of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in 1956.
4. Major Public Health Interventions
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Disease Control: Targeted programs for Malaria, Tuberculosis, and Cholera.
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Environmental Health: Massive improvements in safe water supply and sanitation.
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Nutrition: National food planning and school feeding programs.
Impact and Legacy
While many of Bhore Committee’s recommendations were deemed too expensive to implement fully in 1947, they shaped every subsequent Five-Year Plan in India.
| Feature | Bhore Committee Recommendation | Modern Reality (NRHM/NHM) |
| Philosophy | State-funded, free at point of use | Mixed system (Public and Private) |
| PHC Focus | Integration of preventive & curative | Followed (core of Indian public health) |
| Education | 3 months social medicine training | Realized through Community Medicine (PSM) |
The committee’s vision remains relevant today, particularly emphasis on Universal Health Coverage and need for a strong primary healthcare foundation to reduce burden on tertiary hospitals.