Punjab Introduces Rs 20 lakh Bond Policy for MBBS, BDS Admissions

Patiala: Amid the ongoing protests by the MBBS interns and resident doctors demanding a stipend hike, the Punjab Government has now introduced a new bond policy for students getting enrolled into the MBBS and BDS courses in the State-run medical and dental colleges to tackle the shortage of doctors in government health institutes.

Under the new bond policy, which will come into force from the academic session 2025-2026, students getting admitted to government medical/dental institutes will either have to serve in government healthcare facilities for two years after completing their courses or pay a bond penalty of Rs 20 lakh.

Even though the State has made this bond policy applicable to the All-India-quota students as well, in their case, the duration of mandatory service will be limited to one year, instead of two years like the State quota students.

While the State Government has defended the policy, citing a shortage of doctors in rural areas, the policy has been criticised by the medical students' associations and doctors.

Several State/UT Governments across the country implement a service bond for the medical/dental students getting enrolled in the Government medical/dental institutes, where they receive education at a subsidized cost.

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

Now, the Punjab Government has also introduced bond service for the MBBS/BDS students. Issuing an order in this regard, the Punjab Medical Education Department mentioned, "A service bond of ₹20,00,000 shall be applicable to students admitted under both state and All India quotas."

"The duration of the bond is one year for All India Quota students and two years for state quota students... The service period may be extended at the discretion of the government," the bond service conditions specified.

In the order, the Government further stated that the new policy is designed to encourage MBBS graduates to join government service and help filling up the vacancies in rural and underserved areas, which are particularly affected due to the doctor shortage. At present, around 1,962 posts out of 3,847 sanctioned posts of general medical officers (GMOs) remain vacant.

Defending the policy, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. Balbir Singh emphasized the need for more doctors in rural areas and told Hindustan Times, "Punjab needs doctors, especially in rural regions. We have been advertising for positions, but many MBBS graduates leave the government sector after just a few months. This bond policy will ensure that graduates serve for at least two years. They are studying with taxpayer money and it is their responsibility to contribute to society."

Reactions from Medical Fraternity:

However, the medical students and doctors in the State have criticised the bond policy. The Medical Students Association (MSA), Punjab, strongly condemned the bond system and called it a form of "bonded labour" that would discourage the high-ranking students from pursuing MBBS in Punjab's Government colleges.

"Increment in Fees and 2 yr Bond for MBBS students!! #MBBS students of #Punjab strongly condemn this harassment by the government to the upcoming doctors," MSA Punjab mentioned in a X (formerly Twitter) post.

Commenting on the matter, a member of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA), Patiala, Dr. Mehtab Bal, told HT, "The government has failed to attract MBBS doctors to the public sector. Now, they are punishing deserving students, especially those from economically weaker backgrounds. This feels like an extortion tactic."

"The MBBS course already has a mandatory one-year internship. Asking students to serve two additional years in government hospitals is unfair. The government should focus on improving recruitment processes and the working environment to address the doctor shortage," added Dr. Nidhi Sharma Ahluwalia, spokesperson of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA).

Referring to the fee structure in Punjab Government Medical Colleges, an X user pointed out that while the MBBS fee is around 10 lakhs, the pos MBBS bond penalty is 20 years.

"What is the fees for government seat MBBS in your state? And how much bond years and penalty? In Punjab, fees for MBBS is around 10 lakhs and post MBBS bond is for 2 years,and penalty is of 20 lakhs iF bond is not completed," read the post.

Ongoing Protests demanding Stipend Hike:

The State Government has introduced the 2-year bond service policy for MBBS and BDS students in Punjab, when already the MBBS interns and resident doctors across the Government Medical Institutes across the State have been protesting for over a month, demanding a stipend hike and rationalisation of the tuition fee.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the ongoing protests by the MBBS interns and resident doctors from Government medical colleges across Punjab against the huge cost of medical education in the State and extremely low stipend.

While the 2020 batch MBBS interns paid Rs 7.8 lakh for undergoing medical education in Punjab, they get only Rs 15,000 per month as stipend. The amount of the fee is even higher for the consecutive batches. Those who were admitted to the MBBS courses at the Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in 2024 will have to pay Rs 9.5 lakh as their entire course fee.

Similarly, the resident doctors in the State GMCs receive around Rs 67,000 as their stipend, which is a significantly lower amount when compared to the neighbouring States, including Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Today is the 44th day of the ongoing protests by the MBBS interns and resident doctors in Punjab. Amid this, the Government's decision to introduce a bond policy has not been received well by the medical fraternity.

Addressing the issue, an X user named Dr. Rohtash Garg wrote, "Where on one side MBBS students are protesting against the already high fees in Punjab, The Punjab Government, on the other hand, has once again increased the MBBS fee by 5%! Now, even in government medical colleges, MBBS will cost ₹10 lakhs! As if that wasn't enough—"

"They’ve also introduced a Bond of 2 years for SQ students and 1 year for AIQ students, Failing which, pay a penalty of ₹20 lakhs. What an insensitive move! Instead of supporting Med edu, the system continues to push students further into financial and mental distress!" Dr. Garg continued in his X post.

Also Read: Rs 5 lakh Bond Service penalty, Rs 10 lakh for leaving seat: MBBS, BDS Admissions in Tamil Nadu