State govt to hike bond amount of medical students

SHILLONG: The State Government is planning to increase the bond amount for MBBS students in the wake of less number of doctors willing to serve in rural areas.
An official source said the State Government is contemplating hiking the amount for government-sponsored MBBS students from Rs 25 lakh, which was fixed in 2010.
In the past, the Health and Family Welfare Department had issued notices to State-sponsored MBBS students who refused to serve in Meghalaya after the completion of their studies.
Despite the Health Department executing a bond of Rs 25 lakh to each of the MBBS students with a condition that they should serve in any rural areas of the State for at least five years, many students who passed out had either given the bond amount or refused to serve in villages.
An official of the Health department said it will take adequate steps to ensure that the agreement between the sponsored candidates and the government is adhered to.