Mandatory Bond Service to be Introduced Soon for MD, MS admissions in JnK

Jammu: Aiming to address the shortage of specialist doctors in rural and underserved areas, the Jammu and Kashmir Government is going to introduce mandatory service bonds for doctors pursuing postgraduate medical degrees (MD/MS) from the Government Medical Colleges.

The Health and Medical Education Minister of the Union Territory, Sakina Itoo, confirmed that the Government is in the final stages of implementing a 2-year mandatory bond service period for the MD/MS students after completion of their courses.

Addressing the issue, the Minister told Daily Excelsior, "The Ministry has approved the proposal and it will now go to the Cabinet. As soon as the Cabinet nod is given, this policy will be implemented in the UT."

Also Read: JnK to Mandate Bond Service for MD, MS aspirants

"We are very positive about making this change," Itoo told Daily Excelsior. She further noted that it as a "much-needed requirement" to safeguard the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The Minister further emphasized that postgraduate medical students receive their medical training using public resources and therefore, they must contribute to the local healthcare in return.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the plans of the J&K Government to implement a mandatory service bond for postgraduate medical students (MD/MS), requiring them to serve in the Union Territory (UT) for two to three years after completing their degrees.

The UT Government's initiative in this regard was to retain specialist doctors in J&K's healthcare system, which was a long-standing demand from stakeholders. Announcing the decision, Minister Sakeena Itoo had emphasized that medical graduates from J&K benefit from government-funded education and must contribute to the region’s healthcare system in return.

Currently, J&K does not have any service bond for postgraduate medical students. However, aspirants from J&K who secure MD/MS seats in other Indian states are required to sign bonds agreeing to serve in those states for three years or face a hefty penalty.

MD/MS aspirants from J&K, when they get a seat in a medical college outside J&K, have to sign a bond that they would serve in the state where the medical college is located for three years, usually. Failing this, they are levied a heavy fine. Due to the absence of such a policy in J&K, most doctors leave after completing their MD/MS, leading to a loss of specialists in the region. Therefore, for years, stakeholders have been demanding a mandatory service bond.

Now, the UT Government is planning to implement a mandatory service bond of 2 years for the MD/MS students after they complete their courses. Daily Excelsior has reported that, as announced in the Assembly earlier this year, the service bond obligation would apply to all MD/MS students enrolled in the Government-run medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir.

Every year, around 557 MD/MS seats (excluding PG diploma seats) remain available for admission in Jammu and Kashmir Government Medical Colleges. Among these seats, approximately 50% of seats are filled through the All India Quota (AIQ) and the remaining seats go to the local candidates. Once the policy is enacted, these local candidates would be required to fulfill the bond obligations.

Also Read: Rs 15 lakh penalty for MBBS, Rs 20 lakh for PG, SS: Delhi Compulsory Bond Service Policy