Rural stint binding for MBBS grads, penalty to skip it nixed

A decades-old system of allowing new doctors to skip serving in rural areas for a year in lieu of paying a Rs 10-lakh penalty has been stopped.

- Hemali Chhapia

Mumbai: Medical and dental students who join public colleges from 2022 and those availing of reservation and fee concession in private institutes will have to mandatorily serve in the interior pockets of Maharashtra.

The decision will channel about 3,600 MBBS graduates into the rural system four-and-a-half years from now.

The lion's share-2,800-will be from the public medical schools and another 800 will be from private colleges.

Data shows close to 60% candidates in Maharashtra do not service the rural bond. Of them, merely 20%-30% pay the penalty.