The Union health ministry is examining the 'Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Course Bill 2012’ on mandatory rural service for medical graduates armed with MBBS degree to seek admission for the post graduate courses.

“The proposed Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Course Bill, to be introduced by the state government which makes one year of rural service mandatory for those completing MBBS, is awaiting the Centre’s approval.  The Ministry of Human Resources has already provided the necessary clearances and now the Bill is being examined by the ministry of health”, informed Karnataka medical education minister Sharanprakash Patil.

In this regard, we have already communicated to the Union minister for health Gulam Nabi Azad about the same and we hope to see  positive outcome from this, he added,.

The state medical education minister also stated that the Medical Council of India (MCI) was also planning to introduce a clause for admissions to post graduate courses wherein it is insisting on compulsory  rural service for medical graduates who will need to put in a minimum of one  year service to qualify for admissions  to the post graduate courses. “This move would be a fillip to the forthcoming Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Course Bill 2012’,” he said.

Once the Act is enforced, it would offset the huge shortfall of doctors in the rural areas. In fact, we would have access to more fresh graduates to work in the rural areas. These candidates will also receive the required exposure to varied  treatment protocols.  The Act would be applicable to all students both government and private medical colleges, Patil said.

According to Dr Devi Prasad  Shetty, founder and chairman,  Narayana Health, with a large patient population and vast underdeveloped areas, there was immense scope for healthcare providers to improve infrastructure. But the big issue was the  paucity of doctors to serve in many of the areas.

Once MBBS graduates undergo the compulsory rural services it would be also easy to appoint them in private hospitals, said Rajen Padukone, managing director, chief executive officer, Manipal Health Enterprises.