Non-service resident doctors in Tamil Nadu report to have achieved victory in securing their demands, chiefly for a reduced bond period and amount. A government order (GO) informing of the changes in the state's bond policy for non-service doctors was issued on October 27, and shared by a doctors' representative today, November 1.
Dr Keerthy Varman, former president of the Tamil Nadu Medical Students' Association (TNMSA) and General Secretary of Tamil Nadu Resident Doctors' Association (TNRDA), shared the GO expressing his happiness. "Finally, GO came to reduce the bond period to one year and reduce the bond amount to 20 lakhs. Victory of TNMSA and TNRDA. Thanks to the TN government," a statement from Dr Varman reads.
He mentions that the two doctors' organisations had held a meeting with the officials from the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and other officials in August over their demands. Previously, on July 26, the Madras High Court directed DME's deputy director to discuss the implementation of bond service for non-service postgraduates by constituting a committee, as mentioned in the GO.
This committee held a meeting and came up with the following suggestions:
1. To issue bond posting to the Non-Service Post-Graduates in the same speciality.
2. To reduce the bond period from two years to one year for Non-Service Post-Graduates.
3. To issue the bond postings to Non-Service Post-Graduates on time (one to three months)
4. To release the original certificates of Non-Service Post-Graduates, if the posting order is not issued on time.
5. To reduce the bond amount for Non-Service Post-Graduates to Rs.20,00,000 from Rs 40,00,000.
After considering these suggestions, the GO states that the government has issued the necessary instructions for their implementation. Additionally, for non-service doctors who have completed their postgraduation, the bond period has been reduced to one year from two years, and the bond amount has been reduced to Rs 10,00,000 from Rs 20,00,000.
"In the same way, we believe they will allow NSPG (North Shore Physicians Group) bond doctors to study Super-Speciality with an undertaking letter alone, without bank sureity, for the welfare of NSPG doctors of Tamil Nadu," Dr Varman says.
