Chhattisgarh HC: Govt Delay Cancels MBBS Service Bonds

In a significant ruling on June 18, the Chhattisgarh High Court declared that MBBS service bonds stand automatically canceled if the state government does not issue appointment orders within the six months prescribed by the Chhattisgarh Medical, Dental and Physiotherapy Undergraduate Admission Rules, 2025. This decision came after several MBBS graduates challenged the state's refusal to grant no-objection certificates following the government's failure to issue appointment orders within the statutory timeline.

The court, presided over by Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad, found section 10(6) of the 2025 Rules to be clear and unambiguous, stating that the bond "shall be deemed to be automatically cancelled" if appointment orders are not issued within the specified period. The High Court rejected the state's arguments, including the claim that the petitioners were bound by their bonds due to participation in a counseling process. The court determined that this delayed counseling could not negate the statutory rights already accrued to the petitioners.

Ultimately, the High Court ruled that the petitioners could neither be compelled to accept the postings offered by the state nor be required to deposit the substantial bond amounts of Rs 25 lakh (for unreserved candidates) and Rs 20 lakh (for reserved candidates). Such insistence was deemed contrary to the statutory framework. The court directed the state authorities to issue no-objection certificates to the petitioners without demanding any bond payment or penalty.