Karnataka directs 2017 Batch medicos to Join compulsory Rural Service

Bengaluru: The State Government authorities of Karnataka have asked the medical graduates from the 2017 batch, who completed their MBBS course from government-quota seats, to join the one-year compulsory rural service. 

Many of these students are either busy with work or pursuing higher studies. However, as per the rules, if any student does not fulfill the rural service requirements will be slapped with a Rs 10-lakh penalty.

Around 4,170 students are eligible to attend the counselling for rural services this year. TOI adds that for the first time, the State has allowed merit-based exemptions for students based on their MBBS scores.

A notification in this regard has been issued on December 11. The concerned notification is applicable for the MBBS students who were admitted in Government medical colleges and under the government quota seats in private medical institutes during the academic year 2017-2018. Consequently, they graduated after completing their internship in the year 2023.

Also Read: Karnataka Govt proposes restricting compulsory service only for GMC graduates

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, several students are upset over the delayed posting for compulsory rural service. However, the officials in the Health and Family Welfare Department have claimed that the delay was caused because of an amendment that was brought in recently. 

Earlier this year, in October, the State Government announced that rural service rules would be relaxed to the extent of staff availability in the hospitals. Referring to this, an official from the State Health Department informed TOI, "Initially, we did not have enough posts for all students. Then, the amendment to the compulsory service law had to be brought in to restrict the number of students depending upon the posts. The notification was issued as soon as the amendment was made."

The Daily adds that the notification that was issued under the Karnataka Compulsory Selection of Candidates for Admission to Government Seats in Professional Education Institutions Rules 2006 mentioned that to fill up the available vacancies, online counselling will be held. For the first time, merit-based exemptions will be made applicable for rural service.

Therefore, this year, the candidates who will appear in the counselling for the rural service will have the flexibility to either select a preferred location for one year of service or apply for a merit-based exemption from the same.

Following this, the online counselling system will allocate either the exemption or the location, based on the merit of the candidate. This shall be done based on the MBBS scores provided by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to the department. Therefore, students who have high ranks will get the first chance of getting an exemption.

The MBBS students will have 198 options regarding the preferred service location. Those candidates, who will not register for the online counselling process or who will fail to report to duty will have to pay a penalty of Rs 10 lakh. 

Generally, the exemptions are for students admitted to NMC/RGUHS-approved higher courses and who must undergo one-year compulsory service in a government hospital after completing their PG/DNB/fellowships. Apart from them, women on maternity leave will get a late-commencement exemption for up to one year.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that earlier this month, the Karnataka Government introduced a bill specifically aiming to replace an ordinance that eliminates the mandatory one-year rural service requirement for medical college graduates in the state.

The bill, tabled by Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, proposes amendments to sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Karnataka Compulsory Services by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012.

According to the statement of objects and reasons provided in the bill, the amendment seeks to exempt candidates chosen for central or state government services from the obligation to serve in rural areas.

Previously, under the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, all MBBS, postgraduate, and super-speciality graduates were required to spend one year working in government healthcare institutions in rural areas as junior residents.

Also Read: Proposal to eliminate compulsory rural service for medical graduates moved in Karnataka Assembly