Rohtak: The MBBS students staged a protest against the Haryana government's bond policy at PGIMS here on Wednesday. They were protesting against the imposition of Rs 36 lakh bond fee imposed by the state government for the MBBS course.
The state-level counselling for MBBS seats, which was slated to be conducted at the institute on Wednesday, got stalled due to the students' protest.
Fearing disruption of law and order, the PGIMS authorities sought the help of police to prevent any untoward incident.
Even parents of the students who had come for counselling joined the agitation.
"The Haryana government's diktat has denied the right to education to the meritorious students who have cleared NEET but whose parents are unable to pay the hefty bond fee. Even the students belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWS) category have not been exempted," said a student leading the protesters.
Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, said efforts were on to convince the protesting students.
"We are talking to the students and making efforts to resolve the issue amicably," she stated.
However, students asserted they would not end their agitation until the state government rolls back the bond fee in larger interest.
According to sources, most of the students who had cleared NEET for admission to MBBS course and were allotted government medical colleges of Haryana under the All-India quota in the first round of counselling have not joined due to the exorbitant bond fee.
Only six of the 106 MBBS seats reserved at the state-run medical colleges of Haryana under the All-India quota have been filled after the first round of counselling, leaving 95 per cent seats unfilled, sources said.
While the course fee of MBBS degree at the state-run medical colleges in Haryana is Rs 3,71,280, a bond fee of Rs 36,28,720 has been imposed, which takes the total amount charged from the MBBS students to Rs 40 lakh.
The students can either take a loan to pay the said amount, or pay the entire bond amount plus the annual fee himself/herself.
As per the policy, the state government will repay the loan of those students who join state government service after completing the MBBS course.
However, the government notification in this regard clearly states that "the policy does not make it mandatory/obligatory for the state government to provide employment to the MBBS graduates."