At a Rajya Sabha session held on 13 March, the UP Health & Family Welfare Minister mentioned that the 50% of seats will be reserved for PG admission seekers serving in rural areas.

The UP Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Anupriya Patel in a written reply concerning the issue raised about MBBS graduates seeking PG admission, having to compulsorily serve in rural areas has been left to the state governments who are the principal employers of doctors. The minister however mentioned at the Rajya Sabha session that as a means to encourage doctors to work in remote areas, the MCI with the previous approval of the central government, has amended the postgraduate medical education regulations, 2000 to provide 50% of the seats in PG courses for medical officers in the government service, who have served for at least three years in rural areas.

After acquiring the PG Diploma, the medical officers will have to serve for two more years in such areas. Also, incentives have been fixed for officers at the rate of 10% of the marks obtained for each year in service in remote areas and upto a maximum of 30% of marks obtained in the entrance test for admissions to PG medical courses.

Further, the minister also mentioned that financial incentives will be provided to MBBS as well as PG doctors serving in rural areas and they will be over the salaries already received. Meanhile, the Central Government has also requested the state governments and union territories to come up with a suitable HR policy for health to attract and retain doctors in government services.