Haryana Bond Policy: PGIMS RDA observes 2 hour pen-down in OPD, doctors warn on Nationwide protest

Rohtak: Despite the 72-hours ultimatum given by the medical students in Haryana, the State Government has not changed its position regarding the MBBS bond policy. Therefore, taking the protest to the next level, the Resident Doctors Association of Post Graduate of Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak are now observing pen-down in OPD services at the institute.

Announcing their decision in this regard, RDA of the institute wrote to the director yesterday and stated, "An unanimous decision has been taken that all residents shall observe Pen-down in OPD as a mark of protest on 21/11/2022 from 10 am- 12 pm. This is in protest of the current situation prevailing in the institute where the students are yet to receive any concrete solution from the government directly."

While the medicos have decided to observe the strike only for two hours on Monday, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has warned the authorities about their decision to take the strike to national level if the State and Central Government authorities decide to stay silent on the matter.

"We stand in full solidarity with the protesting students and doctors of Haryana and lend our unwarranted support to their cause and movement, which might take the shape of a nationwide protest if their demands for a dialogue are not addressed," read the letter by FORDA addressed to the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the MBBS students in Haryana were protesting against the Rs 10 lakh annual bond policy imposed on the students. While recently CM Manohar Lal Khattar announced the Government's decision of junking the Rs 10 lakh annual fee, the bond money got changed into Bond papers. Therefore, now students will have to enter into a bond-cum-loan agreement of the amount with the college and the concerned bank. The state government will finance the bond amount if MBBS and MD pass-out students wish to join government service as a doctor and serve for a specified period of seven years. But candidates who do not want to join government services in Haryana will have to pay the amount themselves.

Clearly, the doctors were upset with the bond service terms for seven years and it was also unclear what would happen if the medicos wished to pursue post-graduation or higher education degrees. So, the upset medicos had organized a peaceful protest against the new bond rules in Haryana.

As per the notification published in the State Government Gazette dated November 07, 2022, "All candidates completing their MBBS Course from Government Medical Colleges in the State of Haryana, shall have to execute a tripartite bond at the time of admission amounting to Rs 36,40,636/- in Government Medical Colleges and Rs 32,80,000/- in Government Aided Medical College i.e MAMC, Agroha which will be signed at the time of admission between the candidate, bank and Government (through the Institution concerned in which the candidate gets admission)."

Also Read: Protest against MBBS Bond Policy continues: Haryana Students reject new notification, demand reduction of Bond period, penalty amount

However, MBBS students in Haryana have rejected the modifications mentioned in the recent Government notification dated November 7, 2022. Alleging that the new notification lacks clarity on several issues, the medicos belonging to four medical colleges in Haryana- Post Graduate of Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, BhagatPhool Singh GMC, Khanpur Kalan, Shaheed Hassan Khan Mewati GMC, Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College, Karnal are continuing with their protest.

Recently, submitting their demands to the Deputy Commissioner's office they urged the Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar to reduce the bond penalty amount to Rs 5 lakh and change the bond service term from seven years to one year.

The medicos had also given the State an ultimatum of 72 hours for withdrawing the bond policy and they had warned that if the Government does not act within this time frame, OPD services would be affected.

Accordingly, the Resident Doctors Association of PGIMS Rohtak are now observing two hours of pen-down in OPD on Monday from 10 am to 12 pm

Expressing their solidarity in this matter, FORDA write to the Union Health Minister and stated, "So far, despite repeated requests, the state government has not been cooperative and welcoming to a dialogue with the proposed changes in the bond policy and this is highly unacceptable in a democratic society & government, which claims to work for the people."

"After staging multiple peaceful demonstration in hopes of some communication, the doctors in the state of Haryana were forced to halt OPD services for 1 hour on 19th November, after a 72-hour notice to the state government. The apathetic attitude of the government is exemplary because no reciprocation has still been received from the authorities, Consequently, the doctors are escalating this protest by halting the services for 2 hours on 21st November," further read the letter.

"It is unfortunate that the most respected community are being made a victim of such callous attitude from the government. This is a mockery of the entire medical fraternity, and we condemn it despicably," it added.

While commenting on the matter, Dr Sarvesh Pandey, Vice President RDA RML and General Secretary of FORDA told Medical Dialogues, "FORDA stands in solidarity with the MBBS students of Haryana. If the State does not take any initiative in this regard at the earliest, we will have no option but to escalate the protest."

"If the State is not listening to the medicos then the Central Government should intervene," he opined.

Also Read: Haryana MBBS Bond Policy: Protest escalates, doctors give three-day ultimatum to State to withdraw bond conditions