DMER Ends One-Year Bond for BMC's Senior Resident Physicians

The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has decided to end the one-year bond for senior resident physicians at medical institutions run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). This bond was previously mandatory and was undertaken through civic body-conducted counselling.

The decision was made to prevent BMC from favouring its students while filling senior resident doctor positions. This was seen as putting other state students at a disadvantage. The DMER warning was received by all BMC medical institutions on January 1.

However, the group of resident physicians at BMC hospitals disagreed with the decision. They threatened to take a mass leave of absence starting on January 15 if the decision was not reversed.

The state medical education department sent a letter to BMC Commissioner IS Chahal. They requested that the four medical colleges within the civic body not hold positions exclusively for their students.

This occurred after BMC-run medical colleges disregarded a Bombay High Court (HC) judgement. They gave preference to their students over DMER's merit list and second-year counselling.

A separate method to fill SR posts was established in 2012. This was after a PG student, despite being a top scorer, filed a high court case against his placement at BMC's periphery hospital instead of a BMC-run medical college.

The high court subsequently mandated that DMER oversee all counselling rounds in the state. This includes those administered by BMC-run institutions, based only on merit.

The decision was applauded by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD). They have been opposing the BMC's parallel counselling practices and claim it will increase openness.

However, the BMC MARD disagreed with DMER's derecognition. They threatened to take a mass leave of absence starting on January 15 if the decision was not overturned.

Medical students enrolled in three-year postgraduate studies have the responsibilities of a junior resident. Once they graduate, they are qualified for posts as senior residents. After serving a one-year bond for the state government, all postgraduate students at government medical institutes are free to pursue their studies or choose employment in the private sector.

The National Medical Commission published guidelines in 2018. These state that physicians must have completed at least one year as senior residents to be qualified to work as assistant professors.