Soon- Reservation in MBBS, PG Medical for those who commit Tribal, Remote areas Service in Maharashtra

Mumbai: In its effort to enhance the percentage of doctors luring them to work in remote and tribal areas, the Maharashtra government has decided to implement reservation for UG medical (MBBS) and PG medical students.

As mentioned in a recent media report, the 'Maharashtra Designation of Seats for Under Graduate and Post Graduate Medical Courses bill 2019' has been drafted by the medical education and drugs department.

This bill entails a proposal to create a special reservation quota up to 10% in undergraduate (MBBS) and up to 20% in postgraduate (MD) medical seats in the state for those students who commit to working in tribal and remote areas for a substantial period.

The public health department is in the process to clear the draft. So that the bill could be implemented from this 2019-20 academic year, the government is vying to table this as a bill in the monsoon session.

Read Also: Bond Service: Bombay HC grants Interim Relief to 44 PG Medical Aspirants

Reservation

The proposed quota for MBBS and PG medical aspirants will be created within the existing admission intake capacity and is not an additional one. The students will be required to make their choices at the time of admission. The TOI report mentions the entire process;as

• If this bill gets implemented, medical students aspiring to complete MBBS course from government medical colleges as well as municipal corporation-run medical colleges in the state will get an option to select an additional reservation quota.


• The candidates who opt for admission to under this reservation quota will be required to sign a bond stating that after the completion of course, she/he will serve in the government, ZP Hospitals or any government-run health centre situated in remote, tribal or difficult areas of the state.


• As per the bill, candidates must serve for a period of 7 years immediately after completion of the UG course (MBBS) and for 5 years after completion of PG course (MD) after signing the bond to avail reservation seat.


• If a candidate after completion of MBBS under this scheme gets selected for MD course under a similar quota, then she/he will serve in remote areas for the total 12 years. This will include three years of residency period of the PG medical course.

Read Also: 200 MBBS students future hangs in balance over Delay in MCI Recognition

Mandatorily, the candidates who are selected under this quota for MBBS course will not be allowed to leave the course midway unless she/he pays the entire expenses incurred on them by the government and a penalty which will be decided by state government.

However, some doctors who work in these tribal and remote areas believe this proposal to be a respite, some find it unfit.

A civil surgeon at the tribal district of Gadchiroli, said that the initiative may bring a much-needed change. "If students willing to work in tribal areas will get the special reservation, we can get at least some relief."

Mahesh Langhe, who works with an NGO providing health facilities to Melghat tribals, said that doctors are not willing to join services here. "Only those students who genuinely want to serve in remote areas will opt for this quota. A number of such students is very less. Instead of bringing this bill, government should bring a bill that will make doctors bound to work in tribal area for a specific span or face disqualification," he said.

Read Also: Maratha quota is Valid, Legal: Maha Govt to HC