In a surprise check, the heads of various hospitals and departments have found that several doctors haven’t either joined duty or have been absent without leave or approval before completing their term for more than six years. The Tamil Nadu state health department has slapped notices on more than 500 post-graduate doctors and super specialists who signed a bond promising to serve the government but reneged on it. These doctors may have to pay a fine of Rs 20 lakhs if they fail to join rural hospitals and PHCs.
Until 2016, non-service candidates were admitted to government-run medical colleges at a subsidized fee 10 times lower than private colleges and deemed universities. They were asked to execute a bond with sureties for up to Rs 10 lakh on admission to PG diploma courses and up to Rs 20 lakh on admission to PG degree and super-speciality courses with an undertaking to serve the…
