MBBS Internship : Supreme Court Directs NMC To Submit Details Of Stipend Paid To Interns By Medical Colleges In All States
4 Apr 2024 4:12 PM
In a pivotal matter regarding the payment of stipends for doctors undergoing their MBBS internships, the Supreme Court (April 01) issued a clear directive to the National Medical Commission (NMC) to submit details regarding the stipend status of medical colleges across all States.
The Court noted that the NMC has not given the details of the entire medical colleges in all States and hence, the earlier direction given on September 15, 2023, has not been complied with.
In the direction passed on September 15 last year, the Court had asked the NMC to file a tabulated chart and explain (i) whether it is true that 70% of the medical colleges in the country do not pay any stipend to interns or pay an amount that is less than the minimum set stipend (ii) what steps the NMC is taking to ensure compliance with the norm of paying internship stipend.
Taking note of the fact that the NMC has not given the complete details, a bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Prasanna B Varale directed it to do so within four weeks.
During the previous hearing, the Division Bench expressed concerns that medical colleges are not adequately paying the stipend. Justice Dhulia lamented that medical colleges are unprepared to pay stipends despite charging such hefty fees.
“What kind of medical colleges are they? They are charging one crore, I do not know how much they are charging for postgraduate students and they are not prepared to give the stipend also. Either you pay them, or you don't have the internship.,” Justice Dhulia had stated on the previous date.
During the hearing on April 1, Advocate Tanvi Dubey, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that even Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) are not paid a stipend. The Court voiced its discontent and orally observed that FMGs cannot be treated distinctly.
After hearing the submissions, the Court has now posted the matter for a final hearing on May 6, 2024.
Case Title: Abhishek Yadav and others v. Army College of Medical Sciences | W.P.(C) No. 730/2022
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