Service Bond Policy :
Doctors have voiced strong opposition to the Delhi government’s introduction of a one-year mandatory service bond for medical graduates. This new rule requires students who graduate from both state and all-India quota seats to serve in healthcare institutions under the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD). If they fail to comply, graduates must pay a hefty penalty—Rs 15 lakh for undergraduates and Rs 20 lakh for postgraduates.
Medical professionals and organizations have condemned the policy, calling it harsh and akin to “forced labor.” They argue that it places undue pressure on new graduates, while students from other prestigious institutions, such as Delhi University and IIT Delhi, are not subjected to similar service bonds. This disparity has raised concerns about the fairness and practicality of the policy.
Graduates are now required to sign three types of agreements: a service bond, a seat-leaving bond, and a bank guarantee. While other states, like Andhra Pradesh, have long enforced similar measures—such as a one-year service bond with a Rs 40 lakh penalty—Delhi previously had no such obligation.
The United Doctors Front Association (UDFA) has spoken out strongly against the decision, calling it an exploitation of medical graduates’ rights. In a social media post, UDFA stated, “The GNCTD’s mandatory one-year service bond is a clear violation of our rights and professional autonomy. We demand an immediate revocation of this unjust policy. Doctors should not be treated as bonded labor.”
Dr. Lakshya Mittal, the President of UDFA said, “Bond Policy burdens the students with massive financial penalties and it is both exploitative and regressive”.
Dr. Dhruv Chauhan, a national council member of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), criticized the policy, labeling it as a form of human rights abuse. He argued that forcing doctors to work against their will, with severe fines for non-compliance, adds significant mental stress on the medical community. He also questioned why such a bond is imposed only on doctors, pointing out the lack of similar requirements for other professions.
Dr. Chauhan further emphasized that enforcing this bond in a city like Delhi, which already has a surplus of doctors, makes little sense. He suggested that the policy has political motives and is designed to disrupt the healthcare system rather than address genuine shortages.
Many in the medical community are now calling for the immediate withdrawal of the bond requirement, arguing that it undermines the rights of doctors and imposes unfair burdens on them.
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