The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed its inclination to lay down guidelines based on constitutional principles for compulsory rural service by medical students across the country, LiveLaw reported. A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe was hearing a writ petition challenging a Karnataka notification that required medical students to complete one year of compulsory public rural service to be eligible for permanent registration with the Karnataka Medical Council.

Source: LiveLaw

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told the court there is a compulsory requirement for postgraduate students on a rotation basis, but nothing at the undergraduate level, LiveLaw reported. She added that since health is a State subject, many States have issued bonds for such compulsory service, and a committee has recommended that such bonds be uniformly adopted by all States.

Source: LiveLaw

Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran, the amicus in the case, suggested laying down appropriate guidelines to fill legislative gaps based on Article 21 and the Directive Principles of State Policy, LiveLaw reported. Bhati, by contrast, suggested the Union could pursue a consultative exercise, and said a court mandate could affect institutions across the country.

Source: LiveLaw

Justice Narasimha said what the court decides will impact the future of medical aid in India and pointed to a policy deficit, LiveLaw reported. He said: "We will formulate the constitutional requirement of it just as a guiding principle. The formulations will be by the State in consultation with the Commission." The court kept the matter to be heard next week and asked the Union to clarify whether it intends to formulate a policy and whom it will consult.

Source: LiveLaw

The background to the case is the Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012, and the rules framed under it in 2015, LiveLaw reported. Earlier reporting on the same petition notes that the requirement was extended to students on private seats in private and deemed universities through a notification in July 2023, and that the bench has earlier questioned why private-institution students should be exempt from serving rural India.

Source: Medical Dialogues