'Medical graduates to serve in rural areas'

Medical graduates may soon have to serve for some time in rural areas as a mandatory part of their course, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said Tuesday.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, he said the central government is trying to create a mechanism to ensure that doctors are available in rural dispensaries and health care centres.

"One way to do it, which will be feasible and acceptable to all, is that during the PG courses, medical students can be asked to spend a fixed duration in rural health centres," Harsh Vardhan said.

The minister also said the government is working on making free health care available to all Indians.