MBBS students meet DMER, seek clarification on bond policy

Medical services were affected in Rohtak and Karnal with students and doctors refraining from the out-patient department (OPD) for two hours against the state government’s move.

: At least 20 representatives of MBBS students from four government medical colleges of Haryana met the director of medical education and research (DMER) in Panchkula on Monday, seeking clarification on the bond policy, even as medical services were affected in Rohtak and Karnal with students and doctors refraining from the out-patient department (OPD) for two hours against the state government’s move.

MBBS students meet DMER, seek clarification on bond policy

The representatives of medical colleges in Rohtak, Karnal, Mewat and Khanpur met DMER Dr Aditya Dahiya.

“We have sought clarifications on the new bond policy. He gave us a patient hearing but he could not answer our questions. We are not satisfied with the reply. The policy is vague and even the government is not clear regarding it,” Pankaj Bithhu, who was one of the representatives who met the DMER, said.

The students want to have a meeting with the chief minister or secretary, medical education and research, he said, adding that they will meet the DMER again on Tuesday and will take an update on their request.

According to the state government’s bond policy introduced in November 2020, the MBBS doctors have to pay an amount of ₹ 40 lakh as a bond to the state government for admission to a government college.

As per the new notification dated November 7, “all candidates completing their MBBS course from government medical colleges in the state of Haryana, shall have to execute a tripartite bond at the time of admission amounting to ₹ 36.40 lakh in government medical colleges and ₹ 32.80 lakh in government aided medical colleges i.e MAMC, Agroha which will be signed at the time of admission between the candidate, bank and government.”

“The said loan/bond shall be implemented at the end of MBBS course if the candidate does not opt to serve in the government of Haryana upon selection. The moratorium shall be extended in case of candidate who wishes to pursue post-graduation,” the notification stated.

However, the students have rejected the new notification.

Medical services hit at PGIMS, Rohtak

Medical services at the Post–Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak remained affected on Monday as the MBBS students refrained from work for two hours, receiving support from resident doctors at the institute, who warned the government of withdrawing OPD services indefinitely if the demands were not met.

Several khaps and social organisations also extended their support to the protesting students.

The students, who have been protesting since November 1, stayed away from the out-patient department (OPD) for two hours from 10 am to 12 noon.

In a statement, the resident doctors’ association of PGIMS announced to extend support to the protesting students by shutting down OPD services on Tuesday for three hours from 11 am to 2pm.

“It was decided that if the government authorities give no concrete response, then we will be escalating the protest by withdrawing all OPD services for an indefinite period of time,” the association president Dr Ankit Gulia said.

Karnal KCGMCH resident doctors observe pen-down strike

Medical services were hit at the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital in Karnal on Monday as resident doctors at the OPD observed a two-hour pen-down strike, extending their support to the MBBS students protesting against the bond policy.

The protesters warned the government to intensify their protest by declaring and indefinite strike if the decision to withdraw the bond policy was not taken immediately.

The MBBS students of the institute also staged a dharna outside the OPD block and raised slogans against the government.

The medical students alleged that the government is forcing them to protest by imposing the bond policy, in which they will have to pay bond fee of around ₹ 10 lakh per year for four years.

The protesters condemned the ‘indifferent attitude’ of the government, alleging that the students have not received a positive reply from the authorities despite mass protests at several medical institutions in the state.