Exemption on merit, Penalty of Rs 15 lakh for MBBS graduates, Rs 25 lakh for MD-MS, Rs 30 lakh for SS: Karnataka updates Compulsory Service Rules, details

Bengaluru: Updating the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses (Counselling, Allotment and Certification) (Amendment) Rules, 2024, the State Government has issued the final notification in this regard, exempting compulsory rural service for medical graduates. 

Based on the amended rules, certain meritorious students are exempted from the mandatory government rural service citing an inadequate number of posts to accommodate all the students graduating in a year.

As per the new notification, to assign candidates to compulsory service, the nodal university requires a list of candidates from all universities, including private and deemed universities to assign candidates to compulsory service.

"It is the responsibility of all universities to promptly send the list of candidates who are to undergo compulsory service to the nodal university immediately upon the announcement of results. The nodal university will then prepare separate merit lists for candidates with MBBS degrees, PG diplomas or degrees, and super speciality courses, and subsequently submit these lists to the Competent Authority," the final notification stated in this regard, The Hindu has reported. 

Under the new rules, the State has decided that candidates failing to comply with the compulsory service conditions will have to pay penalties of Rs 15 lakh (if they are MBBS graduates), Rs 20 lakh (for Diploma students), Rs 25 lakh (if they are MD/MS graduates) and Rs 30 lakh (if they are super specialists).

Previously, all MBBS, postgraduate and super-speciality medical graduates were required under the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Medical Courses Act to undergo one year compulsory service in government healthcare institutes in rural areas as junior residents.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the State Health Department last year had proposed to restrict compulsory rural service to only the students in government medical colleges. This policy change was proposed by the Health Department aiming to lessen the financial burden on the government. It was being estimated, that implementation of such rules could lead to Rs 544 crore annual savings. 

Also Read:Karnataka Govt Proposes Restricting Compulsory Service Only for GMC Graduates

Last year in October, HK Patil, the Law Minister had informed about the Cabinet's decision of confining rural service to the number of vacant posts in the government.

He had clarified that the decision was being taken as the number of applicants for rural service far exceeded vacancies in government hospitals. Therefore, to reduce the financial burden and to rationalise human resources, the government has taken this decision.

As per the latest media report by The New Indian Express, the new rules aim to improve the process of assigning medical graduates to compulsory rural service postings. The new rules also include new definitions for 'exemption', meaning exemption from one year of compulsory service, and 'salary', and meaning the stipend set by the state government. Meanwhile, terms like 'training', 'trainee' have been removed from the rules.

Apart from this, under the new rules, new members have been added to the committee monitoring the service. Such members include the Registrar of the Karnataka Medical Council and Chief Administrative Officer of the Health and Family Welfare Services. Further, a grievance committee has been set up for addressing the issues concerning the counselling and appointments and to make necessary recommendations to competent authorities. This grievance committee will comprise of officials from health and education departments in Bengaluru.

TNIE has reported that immediately after publication of the results, the nodal university will have to collect the candidate lists from all universities, including private and deemed institutes. The Registrars of deemed and private universities will have to mandatorily submit a lost of candidates for compulsory service. Based on that, a priority list will be prepared for candidates. Preferences will be given to the candidates or their family members facing serious or terminal illnesses without available treatments at their assigned location. 

During the counselling, the candidates will be able to choose their preferred location or they may get an exemption based on merit. They may be assigned a random location in case of unavailability of choice. The candidates who will not be granted an exemption must serve in the allotted locations.

The State has decided that candidates who will miss counselling, fail to choose a location or fail to report to duty on time will have to pay penalties of Rs 15 lakh for MBBS, Rs 20 lakh for diploma, and Rs 25 lakh for MD/MS and Rs 30 lakh for super specialty courses.

Also Read: Bonds executed prior to July 22, 2022 illegal! Karnataka HC waives Compulsory Rural service bond for 447 MBBS Doctors