Starting in the academic year 2025-26, medical students pursuing an MBBS degree and PG courses in Delhi would now be required by a new provision for one year of compulsory government service, covering the intern period, after finishing the course. This would apply to students admitted both under the All India Quota (AIQ) and the State Quota.
The regulations have been officially issued by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) and are outlined in the university's admission brochure for the 2025 entry session. The provision aims to buttress the health workforce in government hospitals and institutions run by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).
Where will graduates serve?
All eligible students are required to work in medical establishments run by the GNCTD. These also include government hospitals and medical health establishments in Delhi, which sometimes suffer from manpower shortages. Hence, it is one full year after the completion of the internship, which is an important part of the entire training and professional commitment of competent students.
Excerpt from the admission brochure:
Introduction of 1-year service bond for all India quota and state quota undergraduate and postgraduate medical students after completion of their course (including internship period) in the medical institutions of Delhi, wherein the students passing out of the undergraduate/ postgraduate (including super-specialty courses), would be mandatorily required to serve in the medical institutions under GNCT of Delhi for a period of one year.
Financial penalties for default
The fines levied on students who do not perform this duty will be quite hefty. The monetary penalties for students who violate the bond service are as follows:
Rs 15 lakh for MBBS graduates
Rs 20 lakh for postgraduate medical graduates
The above amounts correspond to the bonds, with which the students have agreed at their admission. Default will mean forfeiture of their bond and imposition of penalties based on the orders of the Delhi Health Department via official gazette notification.
What is the rationale behind it?
The reason for the modification is to bridge the gap between the demand and the supply of skilled medical professionals in the state-run healthcare centers, particularly those located in rural areas. It is believed that with a compulsory one-year service in the government sector, the Delhi government would be able to improve public health services and ensure orderly access to medical treatment in every part of the city.
What is the cut for aspiring doctors?
With this new move, it is mandatory for any aspiring doctor who wishes to be enrolled in a Delhi institution to serve for that compulsory year post-graduation. This rule arguably adds the hands-on dimension to medical training in real-life situations. In turn, however, it does impose obligations on the future physician for the public health infrastructure.
Whether viewed as a civic responsibility or another hurdle, this new policy will be embedded into medical education in Delhi.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal Arshad/MSM)