Faced with a severe shortage of doctors, the Odisha government has declared that admission to government medical colleges would be denied to any student unwilling to commit to serving the State for a mandatory period of two years following the completion of their studies.
The government ordered the submission of a bond declaring that, after the completion of studies related to healthcare, the candidates would serve in any health institution of the State for at least two years.
After the completion of two years of service in accordance with the bond, direct recruits as well as in-service doctors would be released from the bond’s conditions.
“There is a dearth of doctors in the State and there is a reluctance to serve the State after completion of course amongst the doctors studying in different government medical and dental colleges at the cost of State exchequer,” a notification issued by the State Health and Family Welfare Department says.
“In order to overcome the dearth, the government after careful consideration have been pleased to modify the existing policy for execution of an agreement in shape of bond with the objective to retain the passing out doctors to utilize their services in the greater interest of the State,” it says.
The condition will be applicable to all candidates taking admission in government medical colleges, either under the State quota or the all India quota in a post graduate diploma, Diplomate National Board (DNB), Doctorate National Board (DrNB), Doctor of Medicine, Master of Surgery, and Master of Dental Science programme.
“In case a candidate gets opportunity for higher study immediately after completion of course, the bond ceases to operate and will come in to force after return from study,” the notification says.
Medical students have to submit a declaration in the form of an affidavit before a Judicial Magistrate (First Class).
“The State Medical Council (OCMR) shall not release the no objection certificate for doing registration in any other State unless it receives a clearance from the DMET, Odisha as regards to the fulfilment of bond conditions,” the notification says.
The State government has also asked the private healthcare institutions registered under the Odisha Clinical Establishment (Control and Regulation) Act, 1990 and subsequent amendments to not engage any doctor unless they obtained an affidavit, from the concerned doctors duly sworn in before an Executive Magistrate, to the effect that they were not violating any bond provision for the post graduate service, and had fulfilled all the bond conditions.
“Monetary penalty for defaulters [for not serving in the State for two years after the completion of the course] shall be double the amount of stipend or salary received during study period,” the notification says.
Moreover, candidates leaving the course before the completion of the course, leading to the lapse of a seat, would be liable to pay a penalty of ₹10 lakh and the amount of stipend or salary received by the date of leaving the course.
