The Centre is considering making rural stint for doctors an eligibility criteria for applying for postgraduate course, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.
In a written reply, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare P Lakshmi said they are also considering reservation in post-graduate seats for government doctors who have served in rural areas.
She said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had constituted a task group under Javed Chowdhary, former health secretary, to suggests ways to augment the availability of medical professionals.
The task group was also to recommend ways to revamp medical education with reference to the requirements under the National Rural Health Mission.
The minister said apart from suggesting making rural stint as an eligibility criteria for doctors to get admission for PG, the task force has also suggested that medical colleges should be involved in management of public health facilities.
Introduction of modules on Social Sciences and Allied Disciplines at different stages of the graduate course and inclusion of a Rural Orientation Package are the other recommendations, the minister informed the House.
Lakshmi said they are also considering changing the format of internships and spreading it over Public Health Facilities in rural areas.
The ministry she said is also considering introducing a three-year degree course -- BSc (Health Science) that would qualify the students to be called Community Health Practitioners.
Lakshmi said the task force has also recommended incentives for government doctors so as to attract and retain them in government cadres.
Also, relaxing of norms for setting up new, medical colleges in high-focus states is the other suggestion the task force had recommended, she said.