The Medical Council of India (MCI) is planning to introduce a clause for admissions to postgraduate courses in medicine wherein it becomes compulsory for medical graduates to work in rural areas for at least one year to qualify for admissions to postgraduate courses.
Disclosing this to presspersons in Mysore on Monday, Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil said the MCI’s move would ensure more MBBS graduates serve in rural areas. Dr. Patil said the proposed Bill to be introduced by the State government, which makes one-year of rural service mandatory for those completing MBBS course, was awaiting the Centre’s approval. “The Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministry at the Centre had already given its nod and the Union Health Ministry is examining it,” he said.
The Minister said he had already spoken to Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on the proposed Act.
Benefits
“Once the Act comes into effect, the shortage of doctors in rural areas will be overcome as we will have more fresh graduates to work in the rural areas,” he said. Replying to a question, Dr. Patil said the proposed Act applies to all those completing MBBS courses from government and private medical colleges.
