Doctors protest against Bond policy escalates across the country, Haryana cancels NEET Counselling

The MBBS bond policy row in Haryana has created a major uproar amidst the medical fraternity across the country who are observing Black Day in solidarity with the doctors who were manhandled and detained by police for protesting against the bond conditions.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that as per a circular by the State Government of Haryana, Rs 10 lakh annual bond policy was supposed to remain effective for this academic year as well and the MBBS students were required to pay the amount at the start of every academic year till the completion of the MBBS degree of four and a half years.

Upset with the State Government notice regarding Rs 10 lakh annual bond for students pursuing MBBS courses in the Government medical colleges in Haryana, the medicos belonging to Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC) launched a signature campaign.

The medicos of Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) also protested against the government's decision.

Taking cognizance of the issue, although CM Manohar Lal Khattar announced the Government's decision of junking the Rs 10 lakh annual fee, the bond money got changed into Bond papers.

Therefore, now students will have to enter into a bond-cum-loan agreement of the amount with the college and the concerned bank.

The state government will finance the bond amount if MBBS and MD pass-out students wish to join government service as a doctor and serve for a specified period of seven years.

But candidates who do not want to join government services in Haryana will have to pay the amount themselves.

Clearly, the doctors were upset with the bond service terms for seven years and it was also unclear what would happen if the medicos wished to pursue post-graduation or higher education degrees. 

So, the upset medicos had organized a peaceful protest against the new bond rules in Haryana.

Meanwhile, the situation took a bitter turn when the police officials allegedly fired water canons against the protesting medicos, manhandled them and forcefully dragged them to police station.

This made the entire medical fraternity furious and several organizations including Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), Indian Medical Association Medical Students' Network (IMA-MSN), and several other State RDAs decided to observe black ribbon and black band protest on November 7, 2022.

Doctors across the country are wearing black bands and ribbons to work as a sign of protest and demanding unconditional apology from the police for violence against the doctors.

Further the doctors have also demanded that the Health Ministry of Haryana withdraw the bond conditions and take strict action against police for manhandling the medicos.

The State RDAs belonging to Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab have also joined the observance of Black Day at work on November 7, 2022.

Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has also extended its support to the medicos. Dr. Manish Jangra of FAIMA has already reached the spot and joined the protest of young medicos.

Writing to the Union Health Minister in this regard, FORDA mentioned, 

IMA-MSN has also questioned the bond policy and writing to the Chief Minister and Health Minister of Haryana, the association stated,