MCI for uniform bond conditions for medicos across the country

MCI for uniform bond conditions for medicos across the country

Judges rule that State governments must offer jobs within bond period

07/10/2020

Mohamed Imranullah S. CHENNAI

The Medical Council of India (MCI) has informed the Madras High Court that it has recommended a uniform procedure to be followed by all States for the execution of bonds by medical students who agree to serve State hospitals for a particular period in return for highly subsidised education in government institutions.

Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy were informed by V.P. Raman, counsel for MCI (replaced with the National Medical Commission since September 25), that the recommendations were made to the Centre in July, following deliberations with representatives of the governments of 19 States.

The MCI had constituted a committee to come up with a uniform bond policy in accordance with directions issued by the Supreme Court in 2019. While deciding a case involving the Association of Medical Super Specialty Aspirants and Residents and the Centre, the court had stressed the need for uniform bond conditions.

Accordingly, the panel recommended that the bond period for MBBS candidates should not exceed one year, and the bond value should not be over ₹10 lakh for those admitted under the all-India quota (AIQ). The bond value alone could be increased to a maximum of ₹15 lakh for students admitted under the State quota. After a year of bond service, the candidates could be allowed to serve for one more year.

The State governments must induct the candidates into government service within three months of completion of internship, failing which the bonds would stand terminated. For PG students, the bond tenure should be restricted to a maximum of two years for State quota candidates and one year for AIQ candidates. Their bond values should not exceed ₹20 lakh and ₹15 lakh respectively. In so far as super speciality courses are concerned, the committee recommended a common bond policy of two years and ₹20 lakh.

The submissions were made during the hearing of several writ petitions filed by doctors who pursued PG degree and diploma courses under the AIQ in government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu between 2012-13 and 2015-16. The government neither provided them jobs in government hospitals as per the bond conditions nor returned their original certificates.

Chief Justice Sahi held that the government ought to have offered the petitioners jobs within the bond period of two years. Failure to do so would render the bonds infructuous, and all their original certificates must be returned forthwith, he ordered.