Patiala/Ludhiana, Sept. 19 -- The Punjab medical education department's decision to seek two separate sureties of properties from aspirants, equivalent to a Rs.20 lakh bond from aspirants seeking MBBS admission in government colleges, has triggered a sharp backlash from parents, the Resident Doctors Association, and the Punjab chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The bond will be effective for the period of 7.5 years, including four years of degree, a year of internship, and two years of compulsory job. During this period, the properties can neither be sold, or pledged elsewhere. The students have been asked to complete the formalities, or they will not be allowed to attend classes. Confirming the development, a senior official of the medical education department, pleading anonymity, said, "Yes, students have to pledge two properties, and many of the students have already filled the required bond. Since some new MBBS seats have been added for the counselling, therefore, the date for submitting the bond has been extended." IMA Punjab, president Dr Vikas Chhabra, urged the government to roll back the policy. "How can a person with middle and lower socio-economic status give two sureties of Rs.20 lakhs. This means that only the privileged can now study medicine," he added. The Punjab government, in June this year, had introduced a bond policy with a clause making two years of job post-degree mandatory for students seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses in government medical and dental colleges. The policy, the government claimed, was aimed at addressing the acute shortage of doctors in the state. As per the new policy, the MBBS students admitted from the academic session 2025-26 onwards will have to either serve in government health institutions for two years after completing their course or pay a bond amount of Rs.20 lakh. As for the students taking admission under the All-India quota, the period is reduced to one year of government service. The move has also drawn sharp criticism from parents also who have termed it 'arbitrary'. An affected parent from Patiala, who didn't wish to be named, said, "The government could have taken an undertaking from the student or parent that if they fail to fulfil the mandatory bond, the Punjab Medical Council should not issue permanent registration - a licence to practice, or the government could have taken a bank guarantee." The bond clauses left many students from the economically weaker sections in a fix. One of the students, who has taken admission in the Government Medical College in Patiala, said, "We didn't have two properties worth Rs.20 lakh each. I had to request my extended family members to arrange for the bonds." The Resident Doctors Association also slammed the Punjab government's decision. Dr Mehtab Bal of the association said the policy was especially harsh on students from economically weaker sections. "Adding insult to injury, the order barring students from attending classes for non-payment or non-compliance with the bond is unjust and unacceptable," he added. Dr Bal added that such punitive action disrupts education, causes undue financial and mental stress, and cannot be justified. In a press release issued on Thursday, the IMA, Punjab, said that the policy contradicts the very purpose of government medical colleges, which is to provide affordable and accessible education. Despite repeated attempts, health minister Dr Balbir Singh, and senior officials of the department were not available for comments....