Despite securing good marks and ranks in NEET-PG 2025, more than 30 MBBS graduates from Chhattisgarh have decided not to take admission in postgraduate medical courses because of their mandatory two-year service bond with the Department of Health and Family Welfare. At present, these doctors are serving at Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in various districts. They are unable to pay the bond amount of 25 lakh rupees or mortgage any land or house to terminate the service bond and pursue their PG studies. Chhattisgarh remains one of the few States that still enforce the two-year compulsory service bond for MBBS graduates.

 

Those wishing to leave the service early must either pay 25 lakh rupees in cash or mortgage property of equivalent value. In contrast, many other states, including West Bengal, Kerala, Gujarat, Manipur, and Tamil Nadu, have discontinued such service bonds. This year, even Maharashtra and Karnataka have abolished their one-year service bond requirement for MBBS graduates, allowing them to pursue postgraduate courses freely, without financial or legal constraints. Despite repeated appeals from medical students and professional bodies, the Chhattisgarh Health Department has not made any change or relaxation in the rule.

 

As a result, many financially weaker MBBS graduates who cleared NEET-PG 2025 have forfeited their postgraduate opportunities to complete their two-year bond service. Dr. Hira S. Lodhi, a postgraduate medical student and member of the Chhattisgarh Doctors’ Federation, informed that several memorandums have been submitted to higher authorities, but apart from verbal assurances, no concrete steps have been taken to amend the rule. Supporting this view, Dr. Resham Singh, President of the Federation, stated that the health department and state government officials must understand the hardships faced by these doctors. He emphasized that clearing NEET-PG is highly challenging, and many qualified doctors belong to economically weaker families who cannot afford to pay such a large amount. Members of the Federation have recently met the state’s Health Minister, Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, seeking relief in the service bond policy. However, no action has yet been taken by the department. When contacted, Chhattisgarh Health Secretary Amit Kataria declined to comment on the issue.