Medical students from Maharashtra will now be allowed only two attempts for the superspecialty entrance examination for admission to postgraduate courses. Further attempts will be permitted only after the students put in the mandatory one-year service in rural areas.

Earlier, there was no limit on the number of attempts for the entrance examination. Also, students would often avoid the rural stint saying they were preparing for the exam.

According to a government resolution in 2007, a student seeking admission to the MBBS course has to sign a bond of Rs 5 lakh, while the amount is Rs 50 lakh for postgraduate courses. A student wanting to skip the rural service stands to forfeit the bond amount.

Pravin Shingare, director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, said: "Many students skip the one-year rural service by giving the excuse that they are preparing for the entrance for superspecialty postgraduate course. We have put a ceiling on the number of attempts."

The state has clarified that there is no limit on the number of attempts for students from outside the state.