New policy to encourage doctors to serve in rural areas: K Sudhakar

Minister for Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday said that the government is planning for a new policy that encourages young doctors to serve in rural areas.

Delivering 11th convocation address of JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSS AHER), here, he said, “The government is planning for a policy that allows incentives along with salary and also reduce the service period required for promotions to the doctors working in rural areas.”

“Doctors working in Bengaluru have to wait six years to get promotions, while three years’ service is enough for doctors working in villages,” he explained. Majority of the doctors are reluctant to serve in rural areas and around 70% of them are willing to work in urban areas.

It is compulsory for the medical students, who have completed a master degree, to serve in rural areas. As many as 2,500 students will be completing courses this academic year, and a few have challenged the order in court.

The minister requested them to withdraw the petition and serve in rural areas.

There is dearth of doctors at the government medical institutions, he said and added that new medical colleges will be established at Chikkaballapur, Haveri, Yadagir and Chikkamagaluru.

A total of 1,436 students were conferred degrees during the convocation held at JSSAHER, at Suttur Mutt, near Chamundi foothill.

A total of 1,436 students were conferred with degrees at Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral in the faculties of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, management studies, life sciences and biomedical sciences. As many as 52 candidates shared 72 medals and awards. While 46 students awarded with PhD degrees, five received with medical super speciality degrees on the occasion.