K'ataka may amend law on mandatory rural service for doctors

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is considering amending the law that requires students passing out of medical schools in the state to serve one year compulsorily in rural areas.

The government is discussing a proposal to restrict the compulsory rural service to the existing vacancies.

This comes after the finance department advised the health department to amend the law to say that the government reserves the right to deploy doctors depending upon vacancies.

Under the current law, all MBBS, postgraduate, and super speciality graduates must serve one year compulsorily in government healthcare institutions in rural areas as junior residents.

However, there are more medical students registering for the oneyear compulsory rural service than the number of vacant posts. The government is facing a financial burden due to this, as it pays a monthly salary of more than 62,000 to doctors who serve in rural areas.

The amendment to the law would allow the government to deploy doctors in rural areas only to the extent of available vacancies. This would help the government to cut costs and reduce the financial burden.

The government is also considering other proposals to make the compulsory rural service more attractive to doctors.

These proposals include increasing the salary of doctors who serve in rural areas and providing them with better career opportunities.