Question : Rural Posting for MBBS Graduates

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to introduce a condition/norm for those willing to take admission in Government medical colleges that during their internship, they will serve for a minimum of one year in rural and remote areas where there are no medical professionals;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government also proposes to make one year rural posting mandatory for MBBS graduates who seek admission in Post Graduate course;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the time by which the said norm is likely to be put in force in Government medical colleges?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)


(a)to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 214* FOR 9TH MARCH, 2018
…..

(a) & (b) Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997 prescribe that every medical student after passing the final MBBS examination will undergo one year compulsory rotating internship. Out of this one year internship, 6 months to be devoted to learning tertiary care in teaching hospital/district hospital, 3 months of secondary care in a small District or Taluka Hospital/Community Health Centre and 3 months in Primary Health Care out of which 2 months should be in Primary Health Programme at the Community level. One month of primary care training may be in the form of preceptorship with a practicing family physician or voluntary agency or other primary health care provider.
(c) to (e) The issue of compulsory rural posting for the MBBS Graduates seeking admission in Post Graduate courses has been left to the State Governments who are the principal employers of doctors. However, to encourage doctors working in remote and difficult areas, the MCI with the previous approval of Central Government, has amended the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 to provide :-
(i) 50% of the seats in Post Graduate Diploma Courses shall be reserved for Medical Officers in the Government service, who has served for at least three years in remote and difficult areas. After acquiring the PG Diploma, the Medical Officers shall serve for two more years in remote and/or difficult areas; and
(ii) Incentive at the rate of 10% of the marks obtained for each year in service in remote or difficult areas as upto the maximum of 30% of the marks obtained in the entrance test for admissions in Post Graduate Medical Courses.
Further, under NHM, financial incentives are also provided to MBBS as well as PG doctors for serving in the rural areas. These incentives are over and above the salaries of the doctors concerned. The Central Government has also requested the State/UTs to come up with suitable HR policy in health to attract and retain doctors in Government services.
…….