Doctors are not slaves’, Himachal Pradesh HC overturns NOC Rejection

Observing that ‘doctors are not slaves’, the Himachal Pradesh High Court recently directed the State Government to give a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to a doctor for pursuing a super-speciality course.

The doctor was posted as a Senior Resident at the Radiotherapy department of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College (PJLNGMC), Chamba. After clearing the National Eligibility-Entrance Test (NEET) super speciality 2025 exam, the doctor applied for a NOC from the institute, and his request was rejected.

While the State argued that the denial of granting NOC to the doctor was in the interest of Public Interest, the HC bench comprising Justice Sandeep Sharma observed that if the petitioner doctor submitted an undertaking that after completing the Super Speciality Course, he would not only join State service as a Super Specialist but would also complete his remaining bond tenure, “no prejudice shall be caused to the respondents rather public at large would be benefited at later stage.”