SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 13: The IMA Junior Doctors Network (JDN), the leading organization representing Senior Residents of medical colleges, has rejected the Jharkhand government’s amendment to the Service Bond conditions for postgraduate (PG) doctors.
Amendment in Service Bond Conditions
Under the amended policy, instead of a lump sum payment of ₹30 lakh, PG students from government medical colleges who wish to leave Jharkhand before completing their mandatory service will now be required to pay a penalty of ₹1.25 lakh per month for the remaining duration of their three-year bond period.
For instance, if a doctor has already served 20 months in a government hospital and wishes to pursue higher education outside Jharkhand, they will need to pay ₹1.25 lakh per month only for the remaining months of the three-year bond period.
Existing Service Bond Conditions
As per the current Service Bond conditions, students completing their PG degree from Jharkhand’s government medical colleges are required to serve for three years in a government hospital. If a doctor breaks the bond and leaves Jharkhand before completing this tenure, they are liable to pay a fine of ₹30 lakh.
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JDN Criticizes Government’s Decision
JDN State President Dr. Vikash Kumar (RIMS Ranchi) and Secretary Dr. Raghvendra Kumar (MGMMCH Jamshedpur) have strongly opposed the amendment, stating that instead of increasing stipends or reducing the service bond period, the government has failed to provide meaningful relief to doctors.
“We expected the government to review the arbitrary Service Bond conditions and increase the stipend for senior and junior residents. However, the amendment does not provide any real relaxation,” said Dr. Raghvendra Kumar, JDN Secretary.
Past Assurances by the Health Minister
On August 4, 2024, the then Health Minister, Banna Gupta, had assured JDN representatives that the government would reduce the three-year service bond period, lower the ₹30 lakh penalty, and bring honorarium at par with Bihar. This assurance was given during a JDN delegation’s meeting at his Jamshedpur residence.
The delegation included JDN Vice-President Dr. Jaideep (RIMS Ranchi), Secretary Dr. Raghvendra Kumar (MGMMCH), Junior Doctors Association President Dr. Ankit Kumar, along with Dr. Abhishek Hansda, Dr. Rajendra Mehta, Dr. Kamlesh, Dr. Ambuj, Dr. K Mandal, Dr. Jehanbaz, and Dr. Ganesh Kumar.
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Current Stipend for Senior Residents
At present, Senior Residents in Jharkhand receive:
- ₹80,000 in the 1st year
- ₹82,000 in the 2nd year
- ₹85,000 in the 3rd year
JDN continues to demand better stipends and fairer service bond conditions, emphasizing that the government’s amendments fail to address the key concerns of medical professionals in the state.
