India, Oct. 6 -- Even as government MBBS seats in Maharashtra have risen from 4,080 in 2020 to 5,140 in 2025, medical interns say the applicant-to-vacancy ratio for compulsory bond service has worsened.

Under the bond service rule, every government medical college graduate must serve one year in a government hospital or pay a penalty of Rs.10 lakh if the bond is broken. Those unable to serve are required to pay Rs.10,000 per unserved month before applying for postgraduate (PG) seats.

While interns who clear PG exams in the first two rounds are allowed to complete their bond after PG, those attempting a third round are barred from taking admission unless they clear their bond first. This, students say, has left thousands of young doctors...