বাংলায় পড়ুন
The Supreme Court has recently ruled that the Union Government and the Medical Council of India will have a uniform policy regarding the compulsory service of students taking admission in PG and speciality courses in government medical colleges. The Court has asked the Government to frame a law to make it mandatory for doctors to serve in public hospitals in rural areas for a certain period after passing out.
In favour of the policy of various state governments to have compulsory bonds to be executed by the doctors before their admissions to PG and super speciality courses, the top court has suggested this policy in the large public interest and beneficial for deprived sections of the society. This policy will be applicable across the country.
“Taking note of the fact that certain state governments have rigid conditions in the compulsory bonds to be executed by the students, we suggest that the suitable steps be taken by Centre and MCI to have uniform policy regarding the compulsory service to be rendered by doctors who are trained in government institutions,” the court said.
The Association of Medical Super Speciality Aspirants and Residents and others had challenged the state government’s ruling that imposed a condition of compulsory service for a minimum fixed period. The Supreme court also noted that the infrastructure has to be developed across the nation to extend specialist healthcare to rural areas.
According to the conditions levied by the states, the students have to execute a bond at the time of admission in government colleges that would serve in public hospitals after completing the course.
The objective behind the policy being the welfare of the weaker section, the Supreme Court said, “No doubt the government is rendering this obligation by opening hospitals and health centres, but in order to make it meaningful, it has to be within the reach of its people.”
Since the compulsory period of the service varies from 2-5 years while the bond value is different across states and goes up to Rs 50 lakh, the annex court fixed the service period at two years and penalty to Rs 20 lakh.
Till today, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Bengal have imposed this provision.
