5 Years Govt Service, Rs 25.77 Lakh Penalty: Haryana Bond Policy for MBBS students

Chandigarh: MBBS students getting admitted to the government medical colleges in Haryana will either have to pay Rs 23,19,381 (female students) to Rs 25,77,090 (male students) bond or undergo compulsory government service for 5 years after completion of the course.

For the students pursuing their undergraduate medical education at the Government Aided Medical College (MAMC, Agroha), the bond amount is Rs 21,90,000 for male students and Rs 19,71,000 for female students.

As per the terms of the service incentive bond policy, included in the Government Gazette dated 14.08.2024, the candidates shall execute a tripartite bond which will be signed between the candidate, bank, and Government through the Institution concerned in which the candidate gets admission. Further, the policy states that for those who will undergo government service, the government will repay the entire bond amount with interest to the bank in lieu of the service rendered by the candidate in Government.

"The total duration of Service Incentive Bond shall be five years starting from completion of MBBS course," mentions the bond policy introduced by the Haryana Government back in 2022.

As per the policy, which applies to the MBBS students admitted from the Academic Session 2020-2021 onwards, after completing the MBBS course, the candidates can either agree to undergo Government service, or not opt for Government Service and declare to pay the Service Incentive Bond amount in lumpsum or pay the bond amount in monthly installments.

Details of the Service Incentive Bond policy in Haryana: 

The State introduced this policy in 2022 to incentivise doctors to opt for Government Service after completing MBBS course from Government/Government Aided Medical Colleges in the State of Haryana.

It was introduced with the intent of providing affordable, quality medical care to the public and to bridge the gap between demand and supply of medical professionals for quality health care in the State by incentivizing MBBS graduates from Government/Government Aided Medical Colleges established by the State of Haryana to serve in Government sector for further upscaling and strengthening overall health facilities in the State.

Applicability: 

This policy applies to

(1) Candidates admitted to the MBBS course in Government Medical Colleges from the academic session 2020- 21 onwards.

(2) Candidates admitted in MBBS course in Govt. Aided Medical College(s)- MAMC, Agroha from the Academic Session 2022-23 onwards

However, it does not apply to candidates admitted under NRI quota in Govt./Govt. Aided Medical Colleges established by the State of Haryana. 

Bond Amount: 

"The Government of Haryana with the objective stated in the preamble introduces “Service Incentive Bond” to incentivize the MBBS graduates to opt for Government Service after completion of MBBS degree in lieu of a bond of Rs 30 lakh - Minus Total Annual Fee (as per Table –‘A’) with a concession of 10% on bond amount for female candidates," mentions the policy.

The students pursuing MBBS courses at Government Medical Colleges pay Rs 4,22,910 as course fee and the students at Government Aided Medical Colleges pay Rs 8,10,000 as course fee.

Therefore, the bond amount for male and female students at Government Medical Colleges is Rs 25,77,090 and Rs 23,19,381 respectively. Similarly, the amount of service incentive bond for the male and female students at the Government Aided Medical Colleges is Rs 21,90,000 and Rs 19,71,000 respectively.

Salient Features of the Service Incentive Bond are as under:

A. (1) The bond shall be in the shape of a collateral free education loan as per amount specified earlier.

(2) Upon completion of MBBS, the candidates shall have to exercise the option out of the following:

 i. Consent for Government service

ii. Not opting for Government service and declare to pay the amount qua the Service Incentive Bond in lumpsum

iii. Not opting for Government service and declare to pay the amount qua the Service Incentive Bond in monthly instalments

(3) The candidates shall execute a tripartite bond (Copy placed at Annexure- ‘A’) which will be signed between the candidate, bank and Government through the Institution concerned in which the candidate gets admission.

(4) The loan towards Service Incentive Bond will be at rate of interest linked with REPO Linked Lending Rate (RLLR) which may vary from time to time.

(5) The total duration of Service Incentive Bond shall be five years starting from completion of MBBS course.

(6) Government will repay the entire bond amount with interest to the bank in lieu of the service rendered by the candidate in Government.

(7) The said Service Incentive Bond shall be implemented after completion of MBBS course. One year moratorium period shall be provided. Candidate is not required to re-pay any amount pertaining to the Bond during the period of study including period of Postgraduation.

(8) State Government shall offer a ‘Contractual service’ in Public health institutions / Government/Government aided Medical Colleges to the candidate within 01 year of completion of MBBS course upon which repayment towards loan by State Government shall begin immediately

(9) Candidate will be at liberty to appear for any Central /State Government service including Judicial Services /Armed forces etc. In case the candidate obtains employment with Central / any State Government / Armed forces/Judicial Services/, then the Government of Haryana shall repay the loan (both principal and interest) till the time he/she continues to serve in the said job, up to completion of bond period or total repayment; whichever is earlier.

(10) The State Government shall repay the monthly installments of the loan (both principal and interest) till the time he/she is serving in the Public Health Institutions / Government/ Government aided Medical Collegesof Government of Haryana in ‘Permanent’ or ‘Contractual service’.

(11) No deductions shall be made by the Government from the salary of candidates who choose to work with Government for the purpose of repayment towards the Service Incentive Bond.

(12) Should there arise a situation that despite best efforts the candidate is not able to secure a regular/contractual employment with the Government even after one year, the loan repayment qua such candidates shall also be made by the Government of Haryana

(13) The candidates shall be liable to repay the amount qua the Service Incentive Bond, only when the candidate chooses NOT to join any Government Service, either permanent/contractual when offered the service

(14) Upon selection for Post-Graduation in Haryana or any other State in India, the period of Post Graduation shall be deducted from the total bond period of five years.

Specifying regarding this, the policy mentions-

i. The candidates shall be awarded provisional degree upon completion of MBBS Course. Original Degree shall be awarded upon completion of period envisaged under the Service Incentive Bond.

ii. An MBBS candidate, shall be at liberty to pursue any Post Graduate Degree /diploma course (in any Institute across the Country), before/during the service. The period of Post-graduation shall be deducted from the total period of Service under the Service Incentive Bond. The candidate shall complete the remaining period of Service after completion of such Post Graduate Degree /Diploma course by serving in the State of Haryana not later than 03 months from the date of completion of the PG course.

iii. Candidates who pursue PG courses outside the State of Haryana will be required to undertake to complete the remaining period of Government service after the completion of his/her PG course.

(15) If a candidate is not able to secure a contractual service within 01 year of completion of his/her course, the candidate can take up any employment, and the repayment of loan against such candidate shall be made by the Government of Haryana. Such candidate shall still be liable to serve in the Government sector, if offered a job by the Government, within the period of service as envisaged under the Service Incentive Bond i.e. within 05 years after completion of course.

The course of repayment of loan (both principal and interest amount) in this scenario shall be as under –

B. The policy further mentions that the candidate can also choose to pay the entire bond amount him /her without recourse to the loan on lump sum basis or in equal installments annually during the course of study. In this case, the candidate shall not be required to serve with Government.

C. Leaving Government Service: 

As per the policy, the candidate is at liberty to leave the Government service (Regular/Contractual) at any time before the bond period expires subject to repayment of remaining loan amount with interest. The amount shall be calculated on a pro-rata basis(for both period of service as well as the bond amount).

The candidate will have the following options -

 The remaining amount qua the Service Incentive Bond can be paid in a lump-sum basis.

 The candidate can choose to pay the installments at his/her own level thereafter.

"The candidate shall have the option to shift between Options (A)/(B)/(C) at any time, during the duration of study/period of service and serve the Government and pay the bond amount accordingly as specified at point No. 5(A)," mentions the policy. 

It further mentioned that the Department of Medical Education & Research shall devise an online portal for effective ground implementation of the policy. It added that the Policy shall not be applicable in the unfortunate event of death/insanity/permanent disability of the candidate. Policy shall not be applicable in the unfortunate event of death/insanity/permanent disability of the candidate, the notification further mentioned.

To view the bond policy, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/dme-haryana-1-248122.pdf

Also Read: Haryana Bond Policy: MoU Confusion between State and Bank