Chandigarh November 23: To meet the growing and pressing need for doctors in public healthcare institutions in Haryana, the State Government has been formulated a unique policy to incentivize students to opt for Government service while retaining the option to work anywhere they would like instead of forcing them towards compulsory Government service.

Sharing more details in this regard, an official spokesman said that as per the directions given by Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal to address the acute shortage of Doctors in Haryana, the Government has recently introduced this unique policy.

The spokesman said that as per the policy a candidate selected for MBBS degree course, at the time of admission shall have to pay an annual bond amount of Rs.10 lakh minus annual fee paid. The candidate will have the option of either obtaining an education loan from a bank duly facilitated by the State Government or pay the entire bond amount without recourse to the loan.

No candidate shall be refused or denied the education loan if he or she so desires. The State Government shall provide a Credit Guarantee to the extent of 100% of the loan amount to every student availing the education loan facility so that the candidate is not denied loan for any reason. There shall be no need for the candidate to furnish any security or collateral for obtaining the loan. For this purpose, the State Government has separately notified the Higher Education Loan Credit Guarantee Scheme, said the spokesman.

He said that on graduation (including internship), in case the candidate is successful in obtaining employment with any Public Health Institution of the State Government after due process as may be specified, then the State Government shall repay the installments of the loan (both principal and interest) till the time the candidate is in the service of such Public Health Institution of the State Government which shall be in addition to the salary and other allowances due.

The spokesman said that if the candidate does not wish to obtain employment in any Public Health Institution of the State Government, then the candidate shall be liable for the repayment of the loan obtained (including interest) and the Bank providing the loan or the State Government, as the case may be, shall recover the amount of default or take such action for recovery as per policy notified from time to time, informed the spokesman.

He said that in case the candidate remains unemployed after graduation or is unable to obtain any form of Government employment (including contractual employment) despite sincere efforts, then the Guarantee provided by the State Government may be invoked and the State Government may step in to pay the loan amount through the Credit Guarantee Trust without burdening the student, he said.

Through this policy, the Government aims to incentivize student-doctors to obtain Government employment while at the same time protecting students who are unable to obtain such employment despite sincere efforts. Only those students who wish to proceed for employment in the private sector or not work in the medical field on graduation will have to pay the loan amount, shared the spokesman.

He said that the State Government assures that the bond amount paid by students shall be kept in a special Trust to be utilized for repayment of loans of student-doctors who serve in a public healthcare institution or for health care, medical education and research and not for any other purpose.

The spokesman further informed that besides all these steps, the State Government effectively subsidizes every student who gains admission to a Government medical college to the extent of Rs 15 lakh per annum.

The State Government is also in the process of expansion of the number of medical education institutions and thereby increasing intake capacity for medical education producing more doctors who can serve local needs in public healthcare institutions. From four Government (including aided) colleges in 2014, there are now six such colleges with eight more in the planning and construction stage.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 Pandemic has brought to focus the need to promote good quality public healthcare system that can provide medical care to all. The essential foundation of any good quality healthcare system is that of an adequate number of qualified doctors.