In a move that could go a long way in strengthening healthcare in Uttar Pradesh, the state Cabinet on 6 March ratified a proposal mooting two years of government service for medical students studying in government-run medical colleges.

According to a government spokesman, for this, the students will have to now fill a mandatory bond during the medical education course. This has been necessitated to fill in the yawning gap in the healthcare sector of the state, he added. The proposal was prepared by the Medical Education Department, under which MBBS pass-outs from government medical colleges will have to serve for two years compulsorily in the community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centers (PHCs), and MD degree holders at big government hospitals or medical colleges.

"In case any student defies the rule, he will have to pay the difference between the government medical college fees and that at a private medical college. The state government has also fixed this fees amount as Rs 10 lakh for MBBS, Rs 50 lakh for MD and Rs one crore for MD-MCH," the spokesman said. The government has also approved a proposal that calls for withdrawing the degrees if the student fails to adhere to the rules that the state Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ratified on Tuesday.

As of now only PG students are made to fill this bond who complete their MBBS course from government-run medical colleges. They fill a bond of 10 years' service at government medical facilities. Now this would apply to all students passing out from government medical colleges.