Rural service for doctors not compulsory, decides K'taka Cabinet

At present, all MBBS, postgraduate and super specialty graduates must serve one year compulsorily in government healthcare institutions in rural areas.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to promulgate an ordinance that will make rural service for graduating doctors no longer compulsory.

At present, under the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, all MBBS, postgraduate and super specialty graduates must serve one year compulsorily in government healthcare institutions in rural areas.

Briefing reporters, Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said rural service will not be compulsory for MBBS and PG medical students once the ordinance is promulgated. Rural service will be confined to the number of vacant posts in the government.

Patil explained that the decision was taken as as the number of applicants for rural service far exceeded vacancies in government hospitals. "With this move, the government is reducing the financial burden while also rationalising human resources," he said.

Under the compulsory rural service, MBBS students are paid a monthly salary of Rs 62,666, MD/MS students get around Rs 70,000 and super specialty students receive Rs 72,800.

At present, medical students who do not take up compulsory rural service are fined Rs 15-30 lakh.

There are 6,766 MBBS and PG medical students have registered for rural service in the 2023-24 academic year. Accommodating all of them would cost the exchequer Rs 290.4 crore.

According to government data, in 2023-24, as many as 3,251 MBBS students have registered for rural service whereas there are 1,897 posts vacant. To accommodate the rest, the government has to create an additional 1,354 posts, causing a financial burden of Rs 101.82 crore.

Also, for the 2023-24 academic year, 3,515 PG students have registered against 1,270 vacant posts. This will require creating an additional 2,245 posts at a cost of Rs 188.58 crore.

Henceforth, the government will appoint candidates for rural service based on merit, Patil specified. The government also plans to fill all the vacancies in government hospitals over the next two months, he added.

DH had reported on October 7 that the government was planning to amend the law restricting compulsory rural service to existing vacancies based on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's meeting with Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.