Haryana CM announces changes in state’s medical bond policy

In a big relief to the protesting MBBS students of the state, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday announced that the state government has brought changes in the medical students’ bond policy.

Mentioning the changes in the policy, the Chief Minister said that after having a long conversation with the students, the government has reduced the compulsory during their service to five years from the existing seven years.

“Today, we had a long conversation with MBBS students, who were protesting against the bond policy. We’ve now made changes in the policy which includes a reduction in the duration of compulsory government service from seven years to five years. Apart from this, the bond amount has also been reduced to Rs 30 lakhs from Rs 40 lakhs,” Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI”

The development came after the Chief Minister on Wednesday met the MBBS students, who were protesting against the state government’s bond policy. Notably, the Chief Minister’s meeting with the students was scheduled after a meeting between the agitating students and officials from the Haryana government remained inconclusive.

MBBS students protesting against state’s bond policy
For the last three weeks, MBBS students at PGIMS-Rohtak and some other medical colleges in Haryana have been holding protests against the Haryana government’s bond policy. Notably, the resident doctors of PGIMS-Rohtak also extended support to the agitating students.

Following the protest, the outpatient department services at private hospitals in the state remained suspended on November 28, Monday, as doctors affiliated to the Indian Medical Association boycotted work in support of the protesting students.

The students were protesting against the state government’s bond policy which mentions that the MBBS students will have to execute a tripartite agreement (with the bank and the government) of Rs 40 lakh, including fee, at the time of admission. The policy aims to ensure that medical students serve in government facilities for seven years.

The demands of the MBBS students include a reduction in the duration of compulsory government service from seven years to one year. They also demanded that the bond default amount should not exceed Rs 5 lakh. Republic World