5 Years Service, Rs 60 Lakh Penalty: AFMS Bond Policy for NEET SS 2024 Admissions

New Delhi: Doctors getting admitted to superspeciality medical courses at Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) institutes for the session 2024-2027 will have to serve the AFMS for five years after completing their course or pay Rs 60 lakh as a bond service penalty.

At the time of admission, the candidates will have to execute a bond service agreement in this regard, specifying the liability to serve for five years or pay a Rs 60 lakh penalty.

"The bond is to be executed on a Rs 500- non judicial stamp paper registered/notarized with the office of sub-registrar and has to be submitted at the time of admission. Expenses in connection with registration of Bond Agreement are to be borne by the respective candidate," the notification released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) stated.

There are four categories of doctors who can get admitted to the super speciality courses offered at AFMS institutes. These four categories of candidates include serving officers of the AFMS, medical officers sponsored by Para Military Forces/ other Government of India organizations, Ex-SSC AFMS officers, and civilian doctors. Among these, only civilian doctors are required to execute a bond service agreement at the time of admission.

Also Read: 39 DM, MCh, DNB SS seats available for AFMS NEET SS admissions 2024: Check Eligibility, Seat Matrix, all details here

5 Years of Commission or Rs 60 Lakh Penalty:

The bond service criteria for the civilian doctors, as specified in the DGHS notification, state the following:

(1) Maximum permissible age shall be less than 30 completed years as on 31 December 2024 (i.e. date of birth is on or after 01 January 1995) to fulfil the service liability.

(2) The candidate should be willing to serve the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for 05 years, subject to fulfilling other eligibility criteria. The candidate will have to execute a bond agreement at the time of admission, to pay a sum of Rs. Sixty Lakhs (Rs. 60,00,000/-) tothe  Govt. of India, for the session 2024-27 in case unwilling to join AFMS when offered commission on completion of the course.

(3) Civilian doctors will have to undergo medical examination by duly constituted medical board at the time of admission, so as to assess their fitness for commissioning as per laid down criteria and will be admitted only if found MEDICALLY FIT.

"Candidates will undergo Annual Medical Examination (AME) by duly Constituted medical board during the course and will be declared NSL if found medicaly unfit post which conditions as stipulated in the surety bond shall be applicable," further mentioned the DGHS notification.

The notification further mentions that the candidates must have an MBBS & MD/MS/DNB Degrees registered with the State Medical Council or NMC and they must be a citizen of India. Students who have completed/are completing Post-Graduation by 30 April 2025 are eligible for admission alongwith Provisional Registration Certificate.

Surety Bond Conditions for Priority V (Civilian) Student seeking admission to Post Doctoral Course (2024-2027):

i. That in the event the Post-doctoral Student either attains the age of 35 years as on 31 December of the year of successful completion of his/her Postdoctoral course or refuses to accept commission in the Armed Forces Medical Services on successful completion of his/her Post-doctoral course, the Postdoctoral Student and the Surety shall jointly be liable to pay and refund forthwith to the Government of India on demand and without demur an amount of Rs 60 Lakhs (Rupees Sixty Lakhs only) as per Govt of India letter No 17436/DGAFMS/DG-1D dated 15 Mar 2021 and No. 3569/DGAFMS/DG1B(i)/389/21/D (Med) dt 19 Apr 2021 together with interest on the said money, calculated at the rates in force then. The interest will be calculated after 30 days from date of successful completion of PG course or from the designated date of joining the Armed Forces unit as per the posting order issued whichever is later.

ii. That the Post-doctoral Student shall on successful completion of his/her Post-doctoral degree course will report within such period, as may be allowed by the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services as joining time to the unit or station as specified in this behalf by the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services for grant of Short Service Commission on terms and conditions set out in Army Instruction 75/78 and as amended from time-to-time.

iii. That the Post-doctoral Student after grant of short service commission, if applies for release from service within Five years of grant said commission for any reason whatsoever and provided his/ her release is sanctioned by the Govt of India, as per rules in force, he/ she shall be relieved only after he/ she has refunded Bond money at the rate of Rs. 12 Lakhs (Rupees Twelve Lakhs only) per completed year or part thereof of unfulfilled liability limited to the Bond money as contained in the Bond agreement executed at the time of admission.

iv. That if the Post-doctoral Student leaves the institution without completing the course due to any reason after the last date of admission to the Post-doctoral course as specified by NMC/affiliated University, he/ she will be required to pay a sum of Rs. 20 Lakhs (Rupees twenty Lakhs only) per year or part thereof of the (b) education at the institution based on extant rules subject to the conditions laid down in the subsequent paras.

v. That if the Post-doctoral Students made Non Service Liability (NSL) on medical grounds will be required to pay Bond money at 50% of amount laid down, for further period of study from the date declared NSL, before he/ she is allowed to continue his/her studies. He/ She will be liable to pay the remaining 50% of the Bond money on completion of the course. However, in case of student becoming medically unfit for commission due to any disease or disability contracted in the circumstances over which he/ she has no control (on which the decision of the DGAFMS shall be final) and for which he/ she has not refused treatment, he/ she will not be required to pay any Bond money but will have to pay the cost of training as applicable for further period of study from the date declared NSL.

vi. That if the Post-doctoral DM/MCh/DNB (SS) student leaves the training institute voluntarily without completing the course due to any reason (other than medical grounds) after the permissible withdrawal period as governed by the prospectus, if any, will be liable to pay the amount of the Bond Money at a rate proportionate to the amount of time they have trained in the institute, limited to the total Bond money as contained in the Bond executed at the time of admission.

vii. That if the Post-doctoral DM/MCh/DNB (SS) student rendered as NSL due to reasons other than medical grounds (viz. indiscipline, failure to adhere .to the stipulated code of conduct, violation of medical ethics etc.) will be removed from the College Rolls and will be liable to pay the Bond Money as applicable to student and will not be allowed to continue further studies.

viii. That if the Post-doctoral DM/MCh/DNB (SS) student found to be medically unfit in the pre-commission medical exam due to pregnancy, will be reviewed by a medical board within six months of delivery and if found fit, will be offered SSC. The candidate will report to her parent teaching institution for such medical examination within six months of delivery. If the candidate fails to report to her parent teaching institution for the medical examination within the stipulated time or fails to join on being declared fit and offered SSC, she will be liable to pay the full Bond Money. If after review, she is found medically unfit for commission, she will be treated as NSL case and would be liable to pay Bond Money as contained,in the Bond executed at the time of admission.

ix. That if the Post-doctoral DM/MCh/DNB (SS) Student who on completion of the course wants to be released from service liability before completion of the Liability period, provided the same is accepted by the Government, will be liable to pay the amount of the Bond Money at a rate proportionate to each complete year or part thereof of unfulfilled liability, limited to the total Bond Money as contained in the Bond or the total amount as contained in the undertaking executed at the time of admission.

x. That if the Post-doctoral DM/MCh/DNB (SS) student leaves the institution and refuses to fulfill any of the Bond conditions, his/her original documents will not be handed over until he/she pays the surety Bond money as applicable and any other dues decided by the Commandant of the AFMS Post-doctoral DM/MCh/DNB (SS) institution.

"The terms and conditions mentioned in the agreement may get revised/amended as per the directions of Govt of India as far as related to payment of Bond money in default of honoring this agreement. The SURETY will be liable to agree to the same. In case of dispute, the decision of Govt of India will be final and binding on the Sureties or either," mentioned the notification.

"In the event of non compliance of the aforesaid clauses or failure on the part of Sureties to comply with the Bond, the sum due hereunder will be liable to be recovered as an arrear of Land Revenue," it added.

The DGHS notification further mentioned that "under no circumstances does the clauses mentioned under section 133 & 135 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 or any other rule of law or equity as applicable on that behalf, any indulgence of forbearances shown by the Govt of India to the candidates whether with or without consent of the sureties or either shall not operate as discharge of the sureties obligations under the said Bond."

"NOW THE CONDITION OF THE OBLIGATION is such that the Post-doctoral DM/MCh/DNB (SS) student after grant of Short Service Commission serves for a period of five years or cause to be paid to the Government the amount due to his/ her in contravention of the Bond agreement then this Bond shall be void, otherwise the same shall be and remain in full force," it further added.

Also Read: 5 years Service, Rs 57.7 Lakh Bond Penalty: AFMS Bond Policy for PG Medical Admissions 2024