State lures doctors to rural posting with quota

Cabinet approves proposal before October polls; 410 MBBS seats reserved

The Maharashtra cabinet on Monday took a series of decisions ahead of the state polls and the implementation of the model of conduct. It cleared 37 proposals that extended sops and welfare to voters cutting across classes. One of it aims at strengthening government health services. Students who pledge to serve the government at least for five years in rural areas would get a 10 per cent quota in the medical admissions at the degree level.

This means around 410 MBBS seats of the state would go to the students who swear on affidavit (write a bond) for five years of rural postings. In case of violation, the students would not get their degree, their registration/license will be scrapped and they will be tried for the offence which would attract a prison sentence of six months and a penalty of Rs 25,000.

A senior government official said the decision should find a way out to plug the exodus of doctors who do not fulfill a bond for compulsory rural postings. The state runs a chain of rural hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs) where most degree holders don't prefer to work.

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The compulsion may, however, delay the postgraduate studies of the students who enter through this quota. In-service doctors who study post-graduation through government progression system would get 20 per cent reservation if they chose to serve at least seven years in rural areas after completion of the PG courses.

The failure in serving required years as a specialist would invite a jail sentence of 6 months and a hefty penalty and cancellation of degree. The government will table a legislation named 'Maharashtra Designation of Certain Seats in Government and Municipal Corporations Medical Colleges Bill' for making a legal provision in the next legislative session.

There are 4,080 seats of MBBS and 1,029 PG seats in the state. Medical education secretary Dr Sanjay Mukherjee said the 10 and 20 per cent is the upper limit. "The actual quota will be as per the demand of public health department (to be specified every year)," he said. In another decision, the cabinet set up a committee for deciding the fate of illegal transfers of properties in the city's transit camp. The committee would suggest ways and means of regularising the transfers.

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The government suggested that there could be no more cabinet meetings before the code of conduct for the polls sets in next week. Insiders said that, if needed, the CM could convene one more meeting while he continues to travel on the third leg of his Mahajanadesh Yatra from September 13.

4,080
No. of MBBS seats in state

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