Inservice quota, deputation: Karnataka tightens rules for doctors' higher studies

Bengaluru: Karnataka-based Medical officers, willing to pursue higher education, will either be able to avail in-service quota for counselling during allotment, or they will be permitted to be sent on deputation to higher education courses during which they would be eligible for course fee, salary, and other service benefits.

These new rules have been laid by the Karnataka Government on 19.08.2025. It further mentioned that while medical officers will have to complete a minimum of seven years of government service to be eligible for the in-service quota or for deputation for a postgraduate or DNB course, the General Duty Medical Officers will be eligible for this only after completing six years of service. Further, the rules specified that the in-service quota and/or deputations shall not be permitted for super-speciality courses.

Issuing a Government Order, the State Government specified the conditions regarding permission granted to the medical officers to avail in-service quota, the minimum years of government service that is required to be eligible for in-service quota, documents required to be considered for in-service quota or deputation, bond service undertaking required from candidates pursuing DNB or PG courses, etc.

The G.R mentioned that in supersession of all earlier orders or instructions issued in this regard, the Government hereby directs the following:

Either In-service Quota or Deputation:

I. There shall he two separate types of permissions for the medical officers regarding pursuing higher education. One permission is regarding availing of in-service quota for counselling during allotment of eligible candidates to the available courses. The other permission is regarding deputation of the officers to higher education courses, during which the officers would he eligible for course fee, salary during the course as well as all other service benefits.

Benefits for In-Service Quota and Deputation:

2. There may he cases where permission is given only to avail in-service quota, but the officer may he required to pursue the higher education at own cost. In such cases, they shall not be entitled to deputation benefits, salary protection, or study leave with pay, and shall he required to avail study leave without pay or any other admissible leave under the Karnataka Civil Services Rules, with prior permission of the competent authority.

Tenure of Service Required for Medical Officers:

3. Medical Officers seeking permission (i.e., either for in-service quota or for deputation) for postgraduate (PG) or DNB course shall be eligible only after completion of a minimum of seven years of Government service, comprising two years of probation and five years of regular service thereafter. This condition is in accordance with the Karnataka Civil Services (Deputation for Prosecution of Higher Studies and Training Leave to Group 'A' Officers) Rules, 2008, and shall be strictly adhered to in all future deputation proposals.

Tenure of Service Required for General Duty Medical Officers:

4. Medical Officers appointed as General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) shall be eligible for in-service quota and/or deputation only upon completion of not less than six years of service in viral areas, as per the Karnataka Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 1992.

Medical Disciplines for which Doctors Can Avail In-service quota or Deputation Benefits:

5. In-service quota and/or deputation shall be permitted only in those medical disciplines which are functionally required by the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services. The officers shall not be eligible for in-service quota and/or deputation to higher studies in disciplines that are not relevant or necessary for the functioning of departmental institutions, as per Rule 5(A)(2) of the Karnataka Conduct of Entrance Test Rules, 2006.

Process to Apply for In-Service Quota or Deputation:

6. Medical Officers intending to seek in-service quota and/or deputation shall mandatorily submit a written application to the Department prior to applying for or appearing in any entrance or qualifying examination. Only those candidates who receive written permission from the Department in advance shall be considered for in-service quota and/or deputation, subject to fulfilment of eligibility conditions and availability of seats in required disciplines. In cases where an officer submits the application but does not receive any communication from the Department within thirty days from the date of receipt, it shall be deemed that permission has been granted to appear for the examination. However, such deemed permission shall not automatically entitle the candidate to seek in-service quota and/or deputation, which shall be determined strictly based on service eligibility and departmental norms. On the other hand, candidates who appear for entrance or qualifying examinations without a permission, deemed or otherwise, shall not be considered for in-service quota and/or deputation to higher education under any circumstances and shall be deemed to have appeared entirely at their own risk and responsibility.

Which Medical Officers Will be Permitted for both In-Service Quota & Deputation:

7. Eligible Medical Officers may be permitted for in-service quota to pursue DNB courses and may also be considered for deputation to such courses, provided the course is conducted in departmental hospitals under the administrative control of the Health and Family Welfare Department.

8. In a similar way, the eligible medical officers may be permitted for in-service quota to pursue PG courses as well, but they shall not be eligible for deputation. They shall be required to pursue PG courses at their own cost, if they intend to pursue such a course. Notwithstanding the self-financing nature of such studies, such candidates admitted under the in-service quota to the PG courses shall be deemed to be bound by the bond obligations. However, deputation for PG courses in a medical college may be considered for an eligible medical officer who is able to secure admission through NEET in government quota seat of a medical college in a discipline that is functionally required by the Department on his/her own merit.

Bond-Service Undertaking:

9. All in-service quota Medical Officers pursuing DNB or PG courses under these provisions shall execute a bond undertaking to serve the Government for a minimum period often years or until the date of their superannuation, whichever is earlier. During the bond period, such officers shall be mandatorily deployed in the same clinical discipline in which they were deputed for study and shall not be posted to any administrative post or to any other post not identified for the specialty in which they have obtained the qualification.

In-service Quota or Deputation not permitted for Super-Speciality Courses:

10. The in-service quota and/or deputations for Super-speciality courses, including DM. MCh, or recognised fellowship programmes; shall not be permitted.

Medical Officers not Eligible for In-service Quota or Deputation May Avail Study Leave without pay:

11. Medical Officers who do not satisfy any one or more of the eligibility criteria for higher education as per this order, but who nevertheless wish to pursue higher studies at their own cost, may do so by availing study leave without pay. Such officers shall not be entitled to any deputation benefits during study, and the study period shall be treated as dies-non for all service-related purposes. They shall not be eligible for the in-service quota as well.

"These orders shall take immediate effect and shall be applicable to all future proposals for deputation of Medical Officers for higher studies. All concerned authorities under the Health and Family Welfare Department are directed to ensure strict compliance with the provisions contained herein," mentioned the G.R.

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