After PG, serve 10 yrs in govt hospital or pay Rs 1 cr: UP govt to docs

Government doctors who take up post-graduate (PG) courses under special provisions in the state medical institutes will now have to serve at least ten years at government

Government doctors who take up post-graduate (PG) courses under special provisions in the state medical institutes will now have to serve at least ten years at government hospitals after they complete the course.

The provision for government doctors to get seats in PG courses was initiated in 2014 to ensure that government doctors who have done MBBS get an opportunity to do PG courses to become specialists. (Dheeraj Dhawan / Hindustan Times)

If they don’t do that, they will have to pay a compensation of Rs 1 crore, government officials said.

An order in this regard was issued by the health department on December 9. The order states that government doctors after completing PG courses should return back to their native departments. Additional chief secretary, medical and health, Amit Mohan Prasad said this was a reiteration of the old order issued on April 3, 2017.

The provision for government doctors to get seats in PG courses was initiated in 2014 to ensure that government doctors who have done MBBS get an opportunity to do PG courses to become specialists.

For this special leave for three-years was granted to doctors who have served certain period in government hospitals, particularly in rural areas.

The order (issued on December 9) also clarified that internship after completing the PG courses will not be allowed. Instead, internships can be done at government hospitals where DNB courses are conducted.

Government doctors supported the 10-year order but said option for internship should be kept opened, which will be in the interest of the government. “By completing internship, the doctors will be eligible to become faculty at medical colleges,” said Dr Amit Singh, secretary provincial medical services association (PMSA) the body of government doctors.

“A doctor who joins service has roughly 40 years to perform duty. If initial 5-years of service and three years of PG are taken out still over 30-years are there to serve at government institutions,” said Dr Singh.

“Government is opening new medical colleges and these doctors can also become faculty in different colleges. And as per the order they can teach new students and even serve the patients while running MBBS/speciality courses,” said Dr Sachin Vaish, president of the PMSA.