8 months on, doctors’ mandatory service bond policy stalled in bureaucratic freeze

Srinagar, Nov 27: Proposed and promised as the solution to specialist shortage in rural areas, the mandatory two-year bond for MD and MS postgraduates to serve in rural health facilities has failed to materialise for the current academic year.

Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo announced in the Legislative Assembly this March that doctors who earn their postgraduate medical degrees from J&K will need to serve in the rural hospitals of J&K.

“They get their degrees from the money of our people; they must give something in return to our people,” she had said.

In August, the Health and Medical Education Department sought a response from the J&K Department of Finance regarding the implications of the proposal.

However, three months since the communication, no progress has been made on the subject.

Health Minister Itoo expressed anguish over the delay.

“It has been eight months since the proposal was sent from our side. We are serious about implementing it, but they (Finance Department) are not clearing it,” she said.

Itoo said that the proposal was key to addressing the specialist shortage in underserved areas of J&K.

“Why shouldn’t J&K have the service bond, when it is being implemented everywhere? Why should we lose over 250 MD and MS-qualified doctors every year?” she said.

As per the proposal, NEET PG candidates admitted to MD and MS programmes in Government Medical Colleges here would be required to sign a bond of Rs 50 lakh at the time of admission.

Postgraduate doctors would serve two years in Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs), or District Hospitals (DHs), where they would receive stipends equivalent to those of Senior Residents (SRs).

Failure to fulfill this obligation would result in forfeiting the bond amount.

The total annual financial implication of the proposal is Rs 40.35 crore for the 638 PG seats across 10 government medical colleges.

The Finance Department sought clarifications, including a comparison of J&K’s proposal with guidelines from the National Medical Commission (NMC).

NMC has directed states to formulate their own bond policies without imposing penalties for leaving seats mid-course.

The delay raises concerns that the policy will miss the 2025-26 MD and MS admission cycle.

The bureaucratic impasse comes as a stark contrast to states that have successfully implemented the Bond Policy.

In Uttarakhand, as per an order issued earlier this week, PG medical students face a hefty Rs 2.5 crore penalty if they fail to complete their mandatory service.

Mandatory service includes three years of government duty with at least one year in rural areas.

In addition, for MBBS graduates, the state mandates a five-year service period with a Rs 1 crore bond.