NEET PG: Bihar reduces bond service tenure, eases penalty rule

Patna: Bringing relief to the postgraduate medical aspirants, the Bihar Government has decided to reduce the mandatory bond service period for NEET PG doctors from three years to two years, Careers 360 has reported.

Furthermore, the State has also decided to offer relief to the doctors in terms of recovery for violating bond service rules. The decision in this regard was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Also Read: Rs 40 lakh penalty for MD, MS, Rs 20 lakh for PG Diploma: Tamil Nadu Bond Service Policy

Officials said that as per the State Government's decision, if a doctor skips the two-year service, the government will now recover only the bond amount, not the salary or stipend received during training, Careers 360 has reported.

Terming the earlier rules harsh and impractical, the resident doctors and medical associations had been repeatedly seeking a change in the policy. With the changed policy regarding the bond service rules, it is expected that the bond system will now become easier to comply with, and the disputes over recovery will get reduced.

Officials added that the Bihar Government's decision brings its NEET PG bond policy closer to other states that have already shortened compulsory services for postgraduate doctors.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that last month, demanding a reduction in the bond posting period, recognition of bond service as senior residency experience and a hike in senior residency salaries, the junior doctors across all medical colleges and hospitals in Bihar launched an indefinite strike. The doctors had announced their decision to continue their strike until the state government addresses their 6 charter demands.

Their 6-point demands included reducing the bond posting period to one year with a penalty of Rs 10 lakh for non-compliance; counting bond service as Senior Residency experience; appropriately revising Senior Resident salaries in view of the current workload and standards; ensuring bond postings strictly follow postgraduate merit-cum-choice and are within the doctor’s specialty; including the period between result declaration and commencement of posting in the bond duration; and, in case of resignation before completing bond service, applying only the bond penalty without recovering salaries already earned.

Apart from the rules regarding bond service, the cabinet has also cleared several other welfare decisions for students and employees.

Also Read: Bihar Junior doctors launch indefinite strike over bond posting reforms, pay hike