NEET SS Bond Policy: Rajasthan mandates Rs 25 lakh bank guarantee for DM, MCh admissions, doctors oppose move

Jaipur: Government Doctors in Rajasthan who want to pursue super-speciality courses- DM and MCh- through the NEET SS will now have to submit a bank guarantee of Rs 25 lakh, equal to the bond amount, before their documents are released as part of a new move by the state government to ensure that they return and serve in government hospitals.

These postgraduate medicos include those currently serving or will serve under the Rajasthan State Bond Service Policy, who have been selected in NEET SS during their bond service period. However, they will now be required to submit a bank guarantee in order to get their documents resealed and participate in NEET-SS counselling for pursuing DM/MCh training.

The order issued by the Rajasthan Medical Education Department in Jaipur under the state's Broad Speciality Bond Service Policy stated that at present, candidates pursuing postgraduate and super-speciality courses in government and RajMES medical colleges in the State are required to execute a State service bond of Rs 25 lakh, committing to serve in government service for two years after completion of the course.

"After completing postgraduate or super-specialty courses from government and RajMES medical colleges in the State, students under the service bond are required to serve in government service in Rajasthan. Currently, students taking admission to these courses must execute a service bond of ₹25 lakh for two years of government service," mentioned the order. 

It also added that if a postgraduate student gets selected for a super-speciality course in the following year, they may be permitted to pursue the super-speciality course on the condition that they will serve the State Government for two years after completing the super-speciality course. For this purpose, the concerned medical college will obtain a bank guarantee equivalent to the bond amount.

The order also applied on doctors who have completed a postgraduate or super-specialty course and are selected for Senior Residency at an Institute of National Importance (such as AIIMS, PGI Chandigarh, JIPMER, or other such institutions), the state government/institution will grant permission upon submission of a bank guarantee equivalent to the bond amount.

"If a candidate is selected for a super-specialty course or fellowship at such prestigious institutions and requires original documents, the documents may be issued for one month after taking an undertaking. If the candidate proceeds to join there, the original documents may be released upon submission of a bank guarantee equivalent to the bond amount," mentioned the order. 

Referring to the order, the Directorate of Medical Education asked the Principal and Controller of SMS Medical College to follow the guidelines laid down by the government regarding the bond policy and the bank guarantee. 

The surety that the doctors are required to sign before joining the super speciality course stated:

"Obligor who is selecting Government Colleges/Government Society College/RUHS College of Medical Science for the Post graduate course/ super specialty course shall, after completion of the course, serve the Government for a period of two year on the seat of Senior Residency/Junior Residency or on the post of Assistant Professor/Junior Specialist/ Medical Officer, etc. as the Government desires according to the requirement of teaching faculties/health personnel in the State, at such remuneration as may be prescribed by the Government from time to time. During the tenure of two years the Obligor may be required to serve different type of post/seats," mentioned the order. 

As per the surety, at the time of admission, the candidate must submit all original certificates, including the bachelor’s degree, which will be retained by the concerned college or institution until the conditions of the bond/undertaking are fulfilled. If the candidate fails to comply with the bond conditions after completing the PG or super-speciality course, both the candidate and the surety will be jointly responsible for paying Rs 25 lakh. The Government can recover this amount from the candidate and/or the surety as arrears of land revenue, without affecting any other legal rights or remedies available to the Government.

The guarantee has been introduced to make sure that doctors complete the mandatory two-year government service after finishing their super-speciality training. 

Earlier, doctors were only required to sign the bond to serve in government hospitals after completing postgraduate or super-speciality courses. There was no requirement to provide a bank guarantee.

Meanwhile, the Medical Education Department has also proposed increasing the bond amount up to Rs 1.5 crore, depending on the speciality, a move that has triggered opposition among resident doctor groups.

Backlash from the Medical Fraternity

Reacting to the development, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), and Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD), wrote to the Rajasthan Health Minister requesting the government to withdraw the bank guarantee requirement.

In its representation, the associations stated that the Rs 25 lakh bank guarantee creates a financial barrier for many doctors and could prevent deserving candidates from pursuing super-speciality training. 

"The imposition of a Rs 25 lakh bank guarantee, with reports of a proposed increase up to Rs 1.5 crore, constitutes a severe barrier to higher medical education and undermines meritocracy," mentioned the letter.

The associations provided key consideration for executive review:

1. Systemic Financial Exclusion

It pointed out that multi-crore financial obligations transform super-specialisation from a merit-based achievement into a privilege for the affluent, disadvantaging meritorious candidates from modest backgrounds and graduates of Rajasthan’s government institutions, thereby depleting the State’s future specialist manpower.

2. Institutional Inconsistency

This policy deviates from the established precedent of “Bond Deferment”, where a legally binding affidavit sufficed for document release to participate in NEET-SS counselling. Premier national institutes (INI-SS) and other states continue to honour affidavit-based exemptions.

3. Atrophy of Specialist Manpower

Super-specialists are vital for tertiary healthcare. Restricting the academic progression of the State’s top PG doctors risks long-term shortages in critical specialities, including Medical Genetics, Oncology, Transplant Surgery, and more, said the associations. 

4. Principle of Proportionality

While ensuring post-qualification service is legitimate, the associations stated that requiring an unfeasible bank guarantee for document release is disproportionate for doctors bound to serve under the State Bond Policy. A legally enforceable service bond alone provides sufficient security without imposing undue financial and psychological burden.

The association recommended suspending the bank guarantee (against fixed deposit) requirement and implementing an affidavit-based deferment system for all NEET-SS qualifiers under the State Bond Service Policy. Ensure the immediate transfer of original documents to allotted institutions or handover to candidates to prevent academic loss during the ongoing counselling cycle and formally recognise Super-Speciality training as a high-value extension of public service, rather than a breach of prior bond obligations.

"Given the ongoing NEET-SS counselling, urgent intervention is requested to ensure that no seats remain vacant due to avoidable financial barriers and that maximum participation of Rajasthan’s PG doctors strengthens the State’s super-speciality healthcare capacity in the future," said the association. 

Writing to the Medical Education Department, the Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD), Jaipur, requested the removal of the mandatory bank guarantee against fixed deposit for issuing documents to MD/MS qualified doctors selected in NEET-SS (DM/MCh) who are currently serving or will serve under the Rajasthan State Bond Service Policy, so that they may participate in counselling. 

The association stated that super-specialty education (DM/MCh) is crucial for strengthening tertiary healthcare services in Rajasthan. However, it said that the current requirement of a ₹25 lakh bank guarantee (against a fixed deposit)—which is reportedly proposed to be increased up to ₹1.5 crore—has created a serious financial barrier. As a result, many talented candidates who are willing to give an undertaking to serve the state after training are being deprived of pursuing higher education.

Pointing out that earlier MD/MS doctors selected for DM/MCh courses, either within Rajasthan or outside the state, were granted deferment or exemption from PG bond service based on an undertaking to serve the state after completing super-specialty training, the association said that under the current policy, doctors taking admission in DM/MCh must deposit a ₹25 lakh bank guarantee (against a fixed deposit); otherwise, their original documents are not released. It added that there is also a proposal to increase this amount to ₹1.5 crore. Further, the association noted that after completing three years of PG (MD/MS) and the mandatory two-year bond service, candidates must again serve another two years after completing the three-year DM/MCh course.

The association said that the total bond service obligation thus becomes approximately four years, along with a heavy financial guarantee.

It further stated that while serving after completing DM/MCh is understandable, finishing PG bond service first and then appearing again for a highly competitive entrance examination two years later is practically difficult and leads to academic loss.

The association also pointed out that candidates selected in 2026 in national institutions such as AIIMS and INI-SS have been granted exemptions based on undertakings.

Highlighting the financial burden, the association said that the required bank guarantee against a fixed deposit is beyond the financial capacity of most middle-class families, which unintentionally gives financial capability precedence over merit and prevents many deserving candidates from pursuing super-specialty education.

It further noted that around 2,000 PG doctors graduate in Rajasthan every year, but only about 150–200, or less than 10%, pursue super-specialty courses. If restrictions are imposed on this small group, the association warned that DM/MCh seats may be filled by candidates from other states, which could lead to a shortage of specialist doctors in Rajasthan in the long run.

The association also pointed out that cases of genetic disorders, blood cancers, organ failure and complex surgeries are increasing in the state, while certain courses such as DM Medical Genetics are not even available in Rajasthan. Without encouraging higher training, the shortage of advanced specialists may persist, it said.

It added that super-specialty education should be considered an extension of public service, as it ultimately strengthens the state’s healthcare system.

Further, the association said that ensuring state service can be achieved through a reasonable service bond or a legally binding undertaking, and imposing an additional heavy bank guarantee on top of existing bond obligations appears disproportionate, creating unnecessary financial and psychological pressure.

It pointed out that currently a doctor faces multiple obligations, including bond service after MBBS, a bank guarantee at the time of PG (MD/MS) admission, two years of bond service after completing PG, a heavy bank guarantee at the time of DM/MCh admission, and another two years of state service after completing DM/MCh.

“Super-specialty education is not merely for personal gain but an advanced training that strengthens the state’s healthcare system,” the association said.

Based on these concerns, the association urged the government to remove the mandatory requirement of depositing a heavy bank guarantee for candidates selected in NEET-SS and allow candidates to ensure state service through an undertaking alone.

It further requested that doctors selected in NEET-SS be granted similar exemptions from bond service as those selected for government service under the Central or State Government.

The association also demanded that doctors selected through NEET-SS be released from their current bond service, noting that super-speciality courses in different states have different bond durations, and doctors may return to Rajasthan to serve after completing those obligations.

Additionally, it requested that original documents be released or directly sent to the concerned institution so that candidates do not suffer academic loss during counselling.

Finally, the association urged the government to conduct a transparent review of super-specialty faculty, infrastructure, and future specialist requirements in the state.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr Sukharam Gehlot, General Secretary, JARD and Vice President FAIMA said, "This is nothing but an attempt to extract money from doctors. The government is treating us like labourers and taking away our opportunity to become specialist doctors. On one hand, the state talks about a shortage of doctors, but instead of recruiting more doctors or creating additional posts, it is imposing a ₹25 lakh bank guarantee on us."

"Even principals of medical colleges may not have Rs 25 lakh as a fixed deposit in their bank accounts. Most of us come from middle-class families, so arranging such a huge amount is not possible. It appears that the government is trying to profit from this policy. At the same time, it will benefit doctors who graduated from private medical colleges, while crushing the dreams of many doctors who want to become specialists," he added. 

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