NMC urges States, UTs to abolish seat leaving bond policy

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has urged states and Union Territories (UTs) to abolish the seat leaving bond policy in medical colleges, aiming to create a more supportive environment for students and address mental health concerns.

The NMC’s Anti-Ragging Committee recently recommended an alternative approach, suggesting that instead of imposing a substantial seat leaving bond, states could consider debarring students who wish to vacate their seats from admission within their state for the subsequent year.

In a letter directed to the Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education of all states and UTs, Dr Aruna V Vanikar, the President of the Undergraduate Medical Education Board of the NMC, highlighted the Commission’s awareness of the “alarming levels of stress, anxiety, and depression” faced by medical students, especially postgraduate (PG) students, across various institutions.

Dr Vanikar, in the letter on January 19, identified that mental health challenges arise from the difficulty students face in adapting to a new environment compared to their previous colleges or institutions. She stressed that the imposition of hefty seat leaving bonds acts as a significant obstacle, adding financial strain and discouraging students from seeking necessary mental health support.

While the concept of seat leaving bonds was initially introduced to secure commitment, discourage abrupt resignations, and address seat blocking and wastage, Dr Vanikar argued that the substantial increase in medical seats over the last decade has reduced the significance of these issues.

In the last 10 years medical seats, including PG seats, have increased substantially and even remain vacant.

“Therefore, the issue of seats being wasted is not of much significance in view of the increased number of medical seats. Another issue of seat blocking is valid till the counselling is going on and after the session has started and the last date of admission is over the negative effect of lower merit candidates being benefited by leaving of the seat does not arise,” Dr Vanikar stated.

To illustrate the severity of the challenges faced by students, Dr Vanikar provided case studies, highlighting the mental health issues and financial burdens associated with seat leaving bonds. The letter underscored the need to prioritise the well-being of resident doctors, suggesting that eliminating seat leaving bonds is a strategic move to empower them to provide optimal patient care in a supportive and stress-free work environment.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the NMC’s Anti-Ragging Committee recommended that state and UT governments review and abolish the seat leaving policy in medical colleges. Instead of imposing heavy seat leaving bonds, the committee proposed debarring students from admission in their state for the next one year as an alternative measure.

Dr Vanikar concluded the letter by urging state governments to review the seat leaving bond policy at their level, emphasising that this step would contribute significantly to creating a nurturing and supportive environment for medical students, fostering their mental health, and positively transforming the medical education system. The NMC has also requested an action taken report from state governments on this issue.with agency inputs