Subsidised Medical Education Comes With Service Duty, Rules HC
What Happened
The Allahabad High Court ruled that doctors who pursue postgraduate medical education at government institutions at subsidised rates cannot evade the mandatory government service bond attached to their admission. The court rejected a doctor's argument that the bond should lapse because the government did not provide a posting within three months of course completion. The bench held that administrative delays do not automatically extinguish the service obligation.
Key Takeaways
The court said the two-year compulsory service requirement exists to ensure adequate availability of doctors in government hospitals and protect patients' right to healthcare. While upholding the bond, the court also directed authorities to conduct fresh counselling for the doctor concerned and adjust her previous government service towards the bond period.