Bond service term reduced to 5 years, penalty to Rs 25.77 lakh: Haryana releases Amended Bond Policy for MBBS Students

Chandigarh: Amid the continuous protest of the MBBS students, the Haryana Medical Education and Research Department has now released the modified bond service conditions. 

As per the modified bond rules, the bond amount has been fixed at Rs 25,77,090 for the male candidates at the Government medical colleges, while the amount is Rs 23,19,381 for the female conditions (10% concession).

In case of the Government Aided Medical College (MAMC, Agroha), the amount of bond for the male and female candidates is Rs 21,90,000 and 19,71,000 respectively.

Further, the Government has also reduced the tenure of bond service from 7 years to 5 years including the tenure of Postgraduation. As per the amended rules, the candidates will only have to repay the service incentive bond only when they choose not to join any Government service, either permanent or contractual when offered to them. During the period of study including the period of post-graduation, the students will not have to re-pay any amount.

In case of Government medical college students, the policy shall be applicable from the academic session 2020-2021 onwards and in case of MAMC, Agroha, the policy shall be applicable from 2022-2023 onwards, mentioned the notification.

The changes have been made by the Government in terms with the announcement made by the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar earlier. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that responding to the protest of the MBBS students against the bond service rules, the CM had announced recently that the bond policy would be modified. The Chief Minister announced the decision of reducing the bond service period from 7 years to 5 years and bond anount from 40 lakhs to 30 lakhs.

The CM had also assured that "Not everyone has to pay this (bond) amount. Only those who'll complete MBBS in next 5 years & will earn more than govt salary will pay this amount. We've also given job guarantee. Those who will not get any Pvt or govt job will be given contractual employment for 1 yr."

Assurance from the CM had come following the month-long protest by the MBBS medicos who were strictly against the earlier notification issued by the Government on November 7, 2022. 

Clearly, the medicos were upset with the bond-cum-loan agreement worth almost Rs 40 lakh. There was also confusion about those students who would pursue Post- graduation. The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) of Haryana Government medical colleges had earlier come in support of the MBBS students and they were demanding the revision of bond service period from 7 years to 1 year and changing the penalty amount to Rs 5 lakh.

Although the medicos were not entirely satisfied with the modifications announced by the Chief Minister, they had been continuously urging the government authorities to publish the amended regulations first. It was the decided by the medicos, who are still continuing their protest, that they would decide about their future steps only after the publication of the amended bond rules.

Now the Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Haryana, Medical Education & Research Department, Dr. G. Anupama has published the amended bond conditions that shall be applicable for the MBBS students taking admission in Government and Government aided medical colleges in Haryana.

Issuing the notification on December 21, the Government referred to the yearly and total fees paid by the MBBS students belonging to government medical colleges and government aided medical colleges. In case of the former, the total fees is Rs 4,22,910 and for the latter, the amount is Rs 8,10,000.

Specifying the bond amount for the male and female candidates of the these institutes, the notification also discussed in detail about the Salient Features of the Service Incentive Bond.

The modified bond service terms are as follows:

1. The bond shall be in the shape of a collateral free education loan as per amount specified in the Table- 'B' at Point 4.

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 installments.

3. 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.

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 Post graduation.

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 Colleges of 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 (Detail explained at point No. 7 and 8 below)

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 –

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. The students who do not opt for Government Service or change option the original degree of such candidates shall be awarded once the financial encumbrance as per the service incentive bond is cleared.

20. 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.

21. The period of Post graduation as per the defined course period (2 or 3 years depending upon diploma or degree course) service shall count towards the total period of service bond and will be accordingly deducted from 05 years.

22. 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.

While commenting on the modified bond policy, Priya Kaushik, a protesting MBBS student from PGIMS Rohtak told Medical Dialogues, "They had promised to release the modifications within 24 hours and finally it has come after 20 days. Since it concerns thousands of students, the matter is being discussed with all the students concerned and any decision will be taken only after that."

"We shall continue our protest until they resolve other issues including the withdrawal of FIR against us. We also demand compensation for the study loss that we have suffered in the past 50 days and the payment of the salary for the resident doctors for the period when they had joined the protest," she added.

To view the Government notification, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/haryana-new-bond-policy-194733.pdf

Also Read: Haryana MBBS Students Urge Government to publish amended bond service rules