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

Rohtak: Escalating the protest against MBBS bond conditions in Haryana, the MBBS students and resident doctors belonging to all the medical colleges in Harayana have now given the State Government an ultimatum of 72 hours for withdrawing the bond policy, failing which the OPD services will be shut. 

While earlier, only the MBBS were protesting against the Rs 40 lakh bond and 7-years mandatory bond service, now the resident doctors across the country have come to their support. 

The representatives of Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) also reached the protest site at Post Graduate of Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak at the invitation of RDA of the institute.

Already the doctors have submitted an application mentioning the demands and a comparative document on bond policies of different states was submitted to the Vice-Chancellor and Director of PGIMS.

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.

Also Read: Haryana Bond Policy Row: IMA extends support to protesting MBBS students

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.

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.

Yesterday, the medicos had given a call to the resident doctors across the nation to join the protest and accordingly, the associations including, FAIMA, United Doctors Front Association, had supported the students.

Earlier, FAIMA had given a call to the medical fraternity to join the protest "Ahwan" on November 15 at Dean/Director's office at PGIMS, Rohtak.

Issuing a Press Release in this regard, UDFA has mentioned, "United Doctors' Front Association expresses the solidarity with Medical Students of Haryana who are protesting against the BOND POLICY in government medical colleges. UDFA strongly condemns the unacceptable new bond policy of 40 lakh which has been forcibly imposed by the Government of Haryana."

"As on 15/11/2022, UDFA actively participated in "Ahwan" at PGIMS, Rohtak as well as UDFA openly supports the ultimatum of 72 hours stated by the students of all medical colleges of Haryana to revert back the bond policy," it further added.

Issuing a warning to the authorities, the release further mentioned, "If the BOND POLICY is not withdrawn within 72 hours, then this agitation will further spread all across the Nation & The Government of Haryana will be held responsible for any future consequences."

Speaking about the protest activities on Tuesday, the President of FAIMA Doctors Association, Dr. Rohan Krishnan told Medical Dialogues, "

Previously Haryana did not have any such bond agreements. Although a two-years-bond had been implemented for the 2017 batch of MBBS students, the government had later withdrawn the same because they could not provide job opportunities to these students. Rs 40 lakh bond is a huge amount because even in the private medical colleges the ranges between Rs 8 to Rs 10 lakh per year. Further, they are asking the students to serve the state for seven years. Such a lengthy period of mandatory bond service is nowhere else in India."

"After seven years, it will be real late for the doctors to do their specialisations. Further, there is no justification in keeping the bond service term for more than one year when the MBBS students are graduating every single year. FAIMA strongly supports this protest and we believe that the bond-service tenure should not be more than one year in anywhere in India and it is not required as well," he further added.

"We also think that the monetary bond should not be implemented anywhere because several students who pursue MBBS come from lower middle class backgrounds who are unable to pay such huge amount as bond. Another thing that the Government should keep in mind is that the doctors should get the posting as soon as possible," he said.

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