NEW DELHI: While states across the country are phasing out bond policies for doctors, the national capital has decided to introduce one for its medicos.
The Health Department, in a notification issued on Wednesday, informed that the L-G has approved a one-year bond scheme for both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medicos, requiring them to serve in government hospitals after completing their courses.
As per the notification, UG students must deposit Rs 15 lakh, and PG students Rs 20 lakh, at the time of admission. This amount will be forfeited if they opt out of the mandatory service period.
Officials said that the policy, set to come into effect from the next academic session, is aimed at addressing the shortage of resident doctors in Delhi’s hospitals.
"The pass-out UG/PG students would be adjusted against the already available vacant posts of Junior Residents/Senior Residents available in the various hospitals of GNCT of Delhi, including Society Hospitals, and may be posted in the same hospitals or in diverted capacity in other hospitals as per the requirement of the H&FW Department," the notification read.
"Of late, there has been a lot of migration towards central hospitals, which has fueled a shortage in Delhi medical colleges," a senior official said.
The introduction of this bond policy has triggered widespread unrest among the medicos, setting the stage for a major standoff between the medical fraternity and the state government.
Top medical associations condemned the scheme as oppressive and a violation of fundamental rights.
"Imposing forced service to fill vacancies is nothing short of coercion. It violates fundamental rights to liberty and freedom of choice. Implementing this will harm the mental well-being of doctors already working under tough and hostile conditions. We will oppose it at every step," asserted Dr Indra Shekhar Prasad, President of the AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association.
Dr Aviral Mathur, President of the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA), said the argument of shortage among junior doctors lacks merit.
"Delhi rarely struggles with vacant medical posts - if anything, it's a highly sought-after location where doctors actively compete for opportunities to work. This bond policy serves little practical purpose in solving any real problem," he added.
The United Doctors' Front demanded immediate revocation of the policy and stated that the government should focus on improving its hospitals to attract voluntary service from medical graduates rather than enforcing a punitive bond system.