A bill that makes it mandatory for medical graduates, who register with Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) and practise in Karnataka, to undergo one-year rural service was passed in the Legislative Assembly.

The Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses (Amendment) Bill, 2017, also provides for lifting the ban on awarding of degrees for graduate and post graduate medical students who have not done compulsory rural service.

At present, provisions of the Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act state that no university shall award degree to such candidates who do not undergo compulsory rural service training. The bill also omits the concept of training for graduate and postgraduate medical students in government hospitals before giving permanent registration.

The Assembly passed another amendment bill that seeks to enhance the limit for transferring the government medical officers and other staff to 15% from 5%. Health and Family Welfare Minister K R Ramesh Kumar said those who have completed 10 years of service in a particular place will be given priority for the transfer. The Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Medical Officers and other staff) (Amendment) Bill, 2017, was passed unanimously in the House.

Another bill to enhance the upper limit to hold office of the vice chancellor of Dr Gangubai Hangal Music University to 67 years was also passed in the Assembly. A bill that empowers the state government to use its discretion to declare SC/ST habitations in the state was also passed.