Parents of medical students of Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) colleges in the state are questioning the 'unfairness' of the new rules formulated by the government for rural services for new MBBS passouts.
It should be noted that the government recently announced a reduction in rural service from 3 to 1 year for new MBBS pass outs from government and other aided colleges. GMERS colleges gets some aid from the state, although the fee is higher than government colleges.
The government however increased the bond payable by these doctors for opting out of rural service from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.
Parents of medical students of GMERS colleges are calling the new rules unfair to such students as the rules are applicable to even students who have already taken admission.
It should be noted that at the time of announcing the policy the government had clarified that the new rules will be applicable to only those who take admission from this year while the older students who have already taken admission can either follow the old rule (3 year service or Rs 5 lakh bond) or opt for the new rules (1 year service or Rs 20 lakh bonds).
Pankaj Patel, one of the parents, said they plan to make a representation before the government in the matter. "While students who took an admission in the earlier years in government college have an option to either continue with the old rule or opt for the new rule, GMERS students, even those who have already taken admission have to compulsorily follow the new rule,"s aid Patel. He said the students who have already taken admission in GMERS colleges and have already opted for the Rs 2 lakh bond or 1 year rural service be allowed to operate under the old rules as is being done with government college students.
It should be noted that for GMERS students the old rules state a rural service of 1 year or Rs 2 lakh bond.
Patel said that earlier there was an option of carrying forward the bond paid in undergraduate courses to the post graduate courses if a student went for the latter. "The new notification is mum on the same," said Patel. He also said that on the one hand the government was offering Rs 6 to Rs 6.5 lakh of scholarship to medical students under the Mukhyamantri Swambhalam Yojana while on the other hand the government was asking for a bank guarantee of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh undertaking. "If the students had that sort of money to pay they would not go for the scholarship in the first place," said Patel.