ORDER

Per: Justice Sunil Thomas, Judicial Member

All the applicants had attended MBBS course at Employees State Insruance Corporation (ESIC) medical college and PGIMSR, Chennai under 'ESIC Residency Scheme'. Under the scheme, such candidates are admitted to study in the college at subsidized fees rate, on executing a bond, inter alia, undertaking that after completion of their studies, they will undertake bond services at the ESIC hospitals as Junior Residents for the period prescribed in the bond. Accordingly, the applicants executed bonds at the time of their admission to the MBBS course to the medical college, inter alia, undertaking to render bond service as Junior Resident (UG) in the ESIC hospitals for 3 years. The applicants accordingly underwent studies in the 2017-22 batch. After their studies, they joined the ESIC hospitals in Kerala on 31.07.2023.

2. Upto 2016, the prescribed bond period was 5 year for MBBS/BDS batches. In 2017 the bond period was reduced to 3 years by Annexure A-4 document. In 2020, by Annexure A-5 dated 28.07.2020, bond period was revised giving option to existing Junior Residents either to continue for the entire bond period (5 years or 3 years as the ca