Karnataka assigns 927 MBBS graduates to compulsory government medical service
Around 3,210 graduates were exempted from the mandatory bond due to a lack of vacancies in state health centres.
The Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare has assigned 927 MBBS graduates to a one-year compulsory government medical service bond. According to Medical Dialogues, approximately 3,210 graduates were exempted from this requirement because of a shortage of vacancies in government hospitals and health centres.
The decision applies to medical graduates who completed their internships in 2026 after securing seats through the government quota in private and government medical colleges during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years. The high number of exemptions follows an increase in the number of medical graduates in the state.
An official told The Hindu that the situation has changed because there are now more graduates than available vacancies for compulsory rural service. Under the current bond rules, selected doctors must complete one year of service, and those who leave their posts midway face penalties.
If a doctor is absent for 30 days, they cannot rejoin the service and must pay a penalty of approximately Rs 15 lakh. Doctors must also use a Mobile Based Real Time Attendance System, and service completion certificates are issued only after fulfilling attendance and service requirements.
Graduates under the bond are not permitted to attend medico-legal cases. In April 2026, the Karnataka High Court ruled that students cannot challenge these obligations after receiving subsidised education and training. The court noted that students can avoid the service by paying the agreed fine instead.