Medical services remain hit at PGIMS as deadlock between students, govt continues

The security guards did not allow the entry of MBBS students in the OPD, forcing the students to observe peaceful sit-ins outside the Chaudhary Ranbir Singh OPD

: Medical services remained affected at the Post-graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here after MBBS students and resident doctors on Tuesday refrained from the out-patient department (OPD) for three hours protesting against the state government’s bond policy, warning the government of intensifying their stir if their demands were not met.

Medical services remain hit at PGIMS as deadlock between students, govt continues (HT File)

The security guards did not allow the entry of MBBS students in the OPD, forcing the students to observe peaceful sit-ins outside the Chaudhary Ranbir Singh OPD.

Priya Kaushik, an MBBS student, said that without any written orders or notification, the security officials restricted their entry inside the OPD.

“We have been protesting peacefully since November 1 and patients have been extending their support to us. We are helping patients while referring them to emergency wards. The resident doctors observed a three-hour pen-down strike. If the government fails to revoke this policy, we are considering options like shutting down OPD services and even emergency services for an indefinite period of time,” she added.

The students have been demanding rollback of the contentious bond policy.

Aam Aadmi party (AAP) leader and former Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar also visited PGIMS and extended his support to the agitating students.

Tanwar said that it was unfortunate that budding doctors are forced to hold protests against the government’s bond policy.

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 into 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.