In a temporary relief to 184 newly graduated doctors, the High Court of Karnataka has directed the State government not to precipitate for two weeks on the issue of registering newly graduated doctors for compulsory rural service as per the provisions of the Karnataka Compulsory Training Service By Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012.
Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum passed the interim order on separate petitions filed by Prarthana N., Sharanya Mohan and 182 others questioning the June 8 notification issued by the Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare Services asking the candidates, who had secured a seat for medical course under government quota and completed their MBBS degree during academic year 2021, to register for undergoing one year rural service as per the law.
However, the court made it clear that benefit of this interim order was applicable for 184 petitioners and the State government was at liberty to proceed with the implementation of the notification issued on June 8.
Though the High Court in August 2019 upheld the constitutional validity of the Act, the petitioners contended that Karnataka’s law cannot continue to operate after the Central government notified the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, which came into force in September 2019.
Pointing out that the apex court had asked the Centre to frame a uniform policy on compulsory government service as many States had no such service and about 11 States had compulsory service period for different years, the petitioner said the State cannot impose such service as such a power was now vested only with the NMC.
