Post Graduate medical students continue strike in Gujarat

Ahmedabad: The strike by bonded postgraduate medical students of government-run medical colleges in the state entered the third day on Friday. The students who have completed their MD and MS courses are demanding a waiver of their one-year bond service period.

On Thursday, the health department had issued an ultimatum to striking students, asking them to end the strike and resume duty or be prepared to face legal action. However, the agitating students ignored this ultimatum and continued to stay away from OPDs and other duties on Friday.

The health department makes PG students from government-run medical colleges sign bonds amounting to Rs 40 lakh each. The students are supposed to work at government-run health centres in rural areas for one year or forfeit Rs 40 lakh to relieve themselves of the bond condition. Similarly, the undergraduate students are required to sign Rs 20 lakh bonds.

Around 1,000 PG medical students from Ahmedabad are part of the strike that involves students from government medical colleges in Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar. TNN