In an attempt to help ensure better availability of doctors, the state government on Thursday announced a reduction in the number of years of a new doctors service in rural areas from 3 years to 1 year. Meanwhile, in order to balance this decision, the government enhanced the bond amount that doctors will be required to pay the state if they chose to opt-out of serving in rural areas. As per the earlier state government rules, MBBS students of government medical colleges have to sign a bond at the time of admission promising to serve in rural areas for three years failing which they have to pay Rs 5 lakh. Though the number of years of service has been reduced, the penalty for non-service has been increased to Rs 20 lakh. State Health Minister Nitin Patel during announcement said, "Students earlier were required to pay Rs 5 lakh as a bond, however, with a recent change in policy, a guarantee of Rs 15 lakh has been added, taking the total amount of money to be paid as a penalty to Rs 20 lakh." "The doctors who choose to opt-out of rural service will have to first pay the enhanced penalty, in order to get a certificate from the Medical Council of India allowing them to practice medicine," said Health Minister. He also clarified that students who have already signed their bond can also opt for the reduced service in rural areas by giving an additional guarantee of Rs15 lakh. Key Insights Government admitted that in last 2 years 1,490 MBBS doctors who passed out from government medical colleges chose to pay up than serve their time in rural areas. Government had earned Rs 21.85 crore in the last two years by way of bond collection from doctors who opted out of the compulsory service in rural areas. Minister adding further said, "Students who are from extremely poor backgrounds may be exempted from the Rs15 lakh guarantee in exceptional cases."Justifying the government's move, Patel said that the new rules are being brought into effect to ensure availability of doctors in the PHCs and CHCS of the state, particularly in distant rural areas. "We have got several representations from both the MLAs and locals about the lack of availability of doctors in government hospitals. This decision will help improve the numbers," he said. He also clarified that the compulsory rural service will not be mandatory for students who have got admission in government colleges under the all India quota. Earlier, during the Assembly session in July, the state had admitted that in the last two years 1,490 MBBS doctors who passed out from government medical colleges chose to pay up than serve their time in rural areas. The government had earned Rs 21.85 crore in the last two years by way of bond collection from doctors who opted out of the compulsory service in rural areas, the Assembly was told. It may be recalled that the Gujarat High court, in April, quashed and set-aside a government resolution (GR) of June 28, 2013, that made it mandatory for post-graduate medical students studying in government-run medical colleges to furnish a bond of Rs 10 lakh as a guarantee to serve in rural areas for a period of three years after completion of their course.

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