Medical Interns' Body Demands Changes in Rules for Bond Service

The current bond service portal is not transparent. We've received reports of graduates entering false information and bribing clerks for preferred postings. DR ZEESHAN BAGWAN, ASMI Regional Coordinator

- Niraj Pandit

Niraj Pandit [e-mail] MUMBAI: Medical interns in Maharashtra are demanding clarity and reforms in the regulation that makes a year's bond service compulsory for MBBS graduates before they can apply for post-graduate (PG) courses.

The Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) has written to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), flagging serious concerns over the feasibility of this rule, which took effect in 2019-20.

In their letter, the association pointed out that around 4,150 students graduate with an MBBS degree every year in Maharashtra, but the DMER does not have an equal number of seats available for bond service placements. As a result, many students are left waiting indefinitely, delaying their academic and professional progression.