J&KSA welcomes Govt’s mandatory bond service policy for NEET PG graduates

Srinagar, Aug 16: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Saturday welcomed the government’s decision to introduce a mandatory bond service policy for NEET PG medical graduates. The Health and Medical Education Department issued a notification on August 4, making it compulsory for postgraduate medical students to either serve in government healthcare institutions for two years after completing their degree or pay a bond amount of Rs 50 lakh.A statement issued here said that the JKSA National President Ummar Jamal said the move is a significant step towards addressing the shortage of doctors in rural and peripheral areas of the Union Territory. “This initiative brings hope and relief to thousands of aspiring medical students and their families across J&K,” he said. Jamal added that the policy strikes a balance between service obligations and personal choice while staying in line with guidelines of the National Medical Commission and the Medical Council of India. Jamal explained that by mandating the bond at the time of admission and offering the option to pay in lieu of service, the government has created a fair system that benefits both the healthcare sector and the graduates. National spokesperson of the association, Zubair Reshi, said the policy would ensure qualified doctors are posted to underserved areas, improving healthcare access in regions that need it the most. “It creates a structured pathway for NEET PG graduates to contribute meaningfully to public health,” he said. Reshi also appreciated the coordination between the Health and Medical Education Department and the Finance Department in finalising the policy. He noted that a comparison with national norms was carried out before implementation, ensuring the framework is practical and consistent with practices in other states.