Sending Doctors to Rural Areas

New Delhi, March 15, 2018: 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 employer 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 :-

1. 50% of the seats in Post Graduate Diploma Courses shall be reserved for Medical Officers in the Government service, who have 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.

2. 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.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Smt Anupriya Patel stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.