Rs 1-crore penalty for doctors for breaking bond agreement

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 2

From the 2018-2019 academic session, the MBBS students securing admission on the subsidised government quota seats will have to pay Rs 1 crore as penalty in case they break the bond agreement that requires compulsory service in the hilly areas.

The increase in penalty amount from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 1 crore has been approved by the Department of Medical Education for the new academic session. “The penalty amount has been increased to deter MBBS students who undergo studies at subsidised government rate from opting out of the agreement by paying the penalty fee, which is too less ,” said Dr Ashutosh Sayana, Director, Department of Medical Education.

Those opting for the bond agreement had to compulsorily serve in the hilly areas for a period of five years. But things did not turn out the way the government was hoping for as most of the students renegade on the agreement, while others opted out of the bond by paying the penalty. “We were left with very few students serving in the hilly areas. Hopefully, with the hefty penalty things may turn out differently,” said Sayana. Recently, instead of serving in the hilly areas, two doctors from the batch of 2010 and 2012 preferred to opt out of the bond agreement by depositing the penalty amount.