No restriction on degree certificates, original documents, registration for doctors with pending compulsory service: Karnataka govt
Bond Service
Bengaluru: Resolving the long-standing confusion over medical registration degree certificates and retention of original documents, the Karnataka Government has recently issued a clarification on the implementation of the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012.
It has been clarified by the State Health and Family Welfare Department that there is no restriction under the Act on issuing final degree certificates or course completion certificates to medical graduates who are yet to undergo their compulsory service.
The Health Department said that the colleges cannot withhold original documents of students at the time of admission to PG courses and there is no linkage between the return of original certificates with compulsory service. Further, it clarified that even doctors who have not completed compulsory service may be granted temporary or conditional registration, enabling them to treat and prescribe medicines independently.
Apart from this, the Government has also clarified that the candidates will no longer be required to obtain a No Objection Certificate from the Health and Family Department for the purpose of registration.
In a communication addressed to the Registrar of the Karnataka Medical Council, Bangalore, the Director of Medical Education Department, and the Registrar of RGUHS and other Universities of Karnataka, the Government clarified on 16.01.2026 regarding grant of registration and grant of Degree Certificates as well as Course Completion Certificates and returning of original documents to candidates who are obligated to undergo compulsory service under Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012.
The Government stated the following:
(1) Regarding the issue of final degree certificate to the candidates, it is hereby clarified that there is no restriction in the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012 to issue Final Degree Certificate to the candidates who are obligated to undergo compulsory service under the provisions of the said Act.
(2) Regarding the issue of original documents to the candidates deposited at Colleges at the time of PG admission, it is hereby clarified that the returning of the original documents deposited at colleges by the candidates at the time of PG admission is not to be linked to the provisions of Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012 as there is no restriction in the said Act in this regard.
(3) Regarding issue of the conditional registration to the candidates who are obligated to undergo compulsory service under the provisions of the said Act, it is clarified that the Act provides that the candidates who have not yet discharged their obligation under the Act "may be given temporary registration till completion of such service to treat patients independently and prescribe medicine". It is amply clear from the language of the provision in the Act that the registration is to be temporary only till completion of their obligation under the Act. In this sense, the phrase 'temporary' is of the same meaning as 'conditional' i.e., registration shall be subject to the condition that the candidate would be liable for discharge of their obligation under the Act. In the light of the clarification provided by the KMC in their letter dated.31.12.2025 stating that under the provisions of their KMC Act, they can issue conditional registration with a clear mention in the ledger that the candidates would be obliged to discharge their obligation under the Act as and when called for, else they would be liable for action including removal of their name from KMC register. In the light of the above it is clarified that conditional registration may be given to the candidates who are obligated to undergo compulsory service under the provisions Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012.
(4) Further, the NOC by the Commissioner HFW dept is presently being issued to the candidates after they give an undertaking that they would discharge their obligation as per the Compulsory Service Act and based on such NOC, the permanent registration is being issued by the KMC. However, it is further clarified that an undertaking/bond for discharging compulsory medical service as per the Act is already being taken by the KEA at the time of counselling from the candidates. Hence, there would not be any requirement to take any additional bond from the candidates in this regard. Therefore, there would not be any need for any student to take any NoC from the Office of the Commissioner, HFW dept henceforth. The KMC may take an undertaking while issuing conditional registration for those candidates who had not given an undertaking to the KEA, if felt required by them.
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