MBBS intern stipend disparity row: Govt says issue falls under NMC, no further action

MBBS intern stipend disparity row: Govt says issue falls under NMC, no further action 

Written By : Adity SahaPublished On 

14 Apr 2026 2:30 PM | Updated On 14 Apr 2026 2:30 PM

New Delhi: Amid the long-standing demand to amend the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021, to ensure a uniform stipend for MBBS interns across the country, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has now stated that it will not take any further action, saying the matter falls entirely within the domain of the National Medical Commission (NMC).

The information in this regard was shared in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Kerala-based ophthalmologist and RTI activist Dr KV Babu, who sought clarity on whether the NMC and its Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) plan to amend the CRMI Regulations to remove disparity in stipend paid to interns across institutions.

On February 22, 2026, Dr Babu submitted RTI applications to the UGMEB and the Medical Education Policy (MEP) section of the Ministry, seeking action on stipend parity.

While the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board reiterated its earlier position that any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021 would require consideration through the statutory process and consultation with all concerned authorities, the Medical Education Policy (MEP) section of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in its RTI reply, clearly outlined its stand on the issue.

In its response dated April 2, 2026, the Ministry stated, "The National Medical Commission (NMC) is the apex statutory body constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, for regulating medical education and profession in the country. All matters relating to framing, amendment, and implementation of medical education regulations fall within the domain of NMC. Therefore, in view of the above, no further action is required to be taken by the MEP Section in the matter, as the subject falls within the domain of the National Medical Commission (NMC)."

Stipend disparity:

The issue was first raised by Dr Babu in June 2022, when he wrote to the Ministry alleging that his suggestions on stipend parity were ignored while finalising the CRMI Regulations, 2021. Despite this, he continued to send multiple reminders.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that the doctor requested that the centre withdraw the Gazette Notification dated November 18, 2021, which notified the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021. He stated that his earlier comments submitted on July 24, 2021, regarding stipend parity were not incorporated before the regulations were finalised. He requested the Government to re-gazette the regulations.

In his representation, he specifically sought an amendment to Clause 6.3 relating to the stipend, which includes - "All the candidates pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which the MBBS course was completed, shall be paid stipend on par with the stipend being paid to the interns of the State Govt. Medical Institution / Central Government Medical Institution in the State / Union Territory where the institution is located."

While the government medical colleges pay interns between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000, private colleges either pay half of that or none at all. Data from NMC in 2025 showed that 60 of 555 medical colleges were not paying stipends, and many were paying nominal stipends of less than Rs 5,000 per month.

The Supreme Court in its order dated October 28, 2025, pulled up the NMC for delaying action on stipend-related issues. The Court observed that the Commission was “dragging its feet” and directed it to take appropriate steps, while also asking the Ministry to ensure compliance.

Following this, the doctor again approached the Ministry in November 2025. On this, the MEP section wrote to the NMC in November and December 2025, asking it to examine the issue of stipend provisions for undergraduate interns under CRMI Regulations, 2021, keeping in view similar provisions in PGMER Regulations, 2023.

However, in its reply dated February 18, 2026, the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) under NMC noted that any amendment to the existing rule would require a statutory process.

It stated, "As per the CRMI Regulation 2021 it is stated that, the existing regulation already provides for the payment of stipend to interns. However, the actual implementation, including the rate of stipend, is undertaken by the respective States/UTs in accordance with their financial capacity and budgetary provisions. The regulation has been notifled after deliberations with concerned authoritles, experts and competent authorities assigned at the time of formulation of the regulation, The above regulation being statutory notifled after due approval and consultation with MoHFW and the same is laid in the parliament. In view of the above, any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021 , if required would need consideration in accordance with the statritory process and after due consultation with all concerned concerned authorities."

The issue of 19 posts being vacant at NMC, out of the 54 sanctioned strength, was also highlighted in the Parliament.

In response, he again wrote to both the Ministry and NMC on February 22, 2026, requesting an amendment of the regulations. He later filed RTI applications with both authorities. While the UGMEB reportedly reiterated its earlier response, the Ministry declined to intervene, stating the matter is under NMC’s jurisdiction.

"The National Medical Commission (NMC) is the apex statutory body constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, for regulating medical education and profession in the country. All matters relating to framing, amendment, and implementation of medical education regulations fall within the domain of NMC. Therefore, in view of the above, no further action is required to be taken by the MEP Section in the matter, as the subject falls within the domain of the National Medical Commission (NMC)," mentioned the government's response to the RTI.

Dr Babu further alleged inconsistency in the Ministry’s approach, stating that while MEP section of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been reluctant to direct the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board on amending the CRMI Regulations for stipend parity, it had promptly intervened in May 2022 on another matter. He pointed out that, based on a representation dated May 3, 2022, the Ministry had directed the National Medical Commission to convene a joint meeting under Section 50 of the NMC Act by May 31, 2022, regarding suggestions for the “Swasth Bharat” roadmap.

Commenting on the matter, Dr Babu told Medical Dialogues, "The issue of stipend parity has been pending with the NMC & GOI for almost five years. Though following the SC order of 28th October 2025, the Govt took a proactive decision to amend CRMI regulations in line with PGME regulations, the nominated, almost vacant, UGMEB is not inclined to amend the regulations for stipend parity even after harsh criticism from the SC & communications from the Govt."

He further said, "It should be noted that, though GOI have the authority to direct the NMC/UGMEB to amend the regulations for stipend parity, they are absolving the responsibility, though they had no hesitation in directing the NMC to act on issues which suits them earlier. It should be presumed that the GOI & the nominated vacant UGMEB are hand in glove in denying stipend parity to the interns."

Medical pay ‘mismatch’: College stipends much less than NMC claims, says outfit

Medical pay ‘mismatch’: College stipends much less than NMC claims, says outfit

The gap between the NMC’s reported stipends and actual payments, CAMP members and others say, reveals a disconnect between regulation and reality, raising concerns over data integrity, oversight and inaction

G.S. Mudur Published 14.04.26, 05:42 AM

Representational imageFile image

A body representing medical students and parents has challenged the accuracy of stipend data published by the National Medical Commission (NMC), saying the figures reported for some colleges do not match actual payments to interns and postgraduate residents.

The Combined Association of Medicos and Parents (CAMP) has sought an explanation from the NMC — India’s apex medical regulatory authority — citing examples from private medical colleges in Kerala whose actual stipends are much lower than those cited by the NMC.

The gap between the NMC’s reported stipends and actual payments, CAMP members and others say, reveals a disconnect between regulation and reality, raising concerns over data integrity, oversight and inaction.

The association has urged the NMC to investigate whether the discrepancies stem from clerical errors, incorrect data submitted by colleges or a possible deliberate attempt to mislead ongoing stipend-related cases before the Supreme Court.

“The inflated stipend amounts create an impression that all is well when it is actually not,” Rajesh Aravind, CAMP’s general secretary, told The Telegraph.

Some 150 medical students from Kerala and CAMP members have filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking appropriate stipends.

The petitioners are among thousands of MBBS interns and postgraduate residents across the country who are not receiving stipulated stipends, according to CAMP members and a lawyer representing the petitioners.

The stipend issue comes against the backdrop of a sharp expansion in medical education, with MBBS seats rising from about 52,000 in 2014 to 128,000 and postgraduate seats from about 31,000 to 85,000, expanding the pool of interns and residents.

Interns and postgraduate residents from Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan have filed similar petitions, their lawyer Tanvi Dubey said.

CAMP, in a letter sent to the NMC last week, cited three medical colleges whose stipend figures published by the NMC are higher than actual payments to students.

The stipend data published by the NMC show that one college pays ₹27,300, the amount stipulated by the Kerala government. CAMP says students at the college receive only ₹10,000.

The data show another college paying ₹25,000 while CAMP says students receive ₹7,000.

A third college pays ₹17,275, according to the data, but CAMP claims students get only ₹8,000.

The discrepancies persist despite the NMC initiating a nationwide survey in April 2023 to assess stipends paid to interns and residents amid concerns over underpayment.

The NMC notified rules in November 2021 mandating that all interns be paid stipends fixed by the relevant state or institutional authorities.

An email query sent twice by this newspaper to the NMC seeking a response to the concerns raised by CAMP has evoked no response.

The NMC, replying to an RTI query from ophthalmologist K.V. Babu in Kerala, had said that it issues guidelines and regulations but implementation rests “solely at the discretion” of state authorities.

But Babu said the NMC’s regulations empower it to penalise non-compliant institutions, including withholding or withdrawing accreditation for up to five years.

“We’re seeing inaction on the part of the NMC,” Babu told this newspaper.

 “The regulators are helping some private medical colleges save money by not acting against underpayment of stipends,” he said.

U-turn on same stipend for all medical undergrads

U-turn on same stipend for all medical undergrads

Earlier, the Union health ministry had twice written to the National Medical Commission (NMC) on “examining” the issue of pay parity. And NMC had accepted that there is no stipend parity.

Image used for representational purpose.File photo | Express

Kavita Bajeli-Datt

Updated on:

12 Apr 2026, 7:23 am

NEW DELHI: The centre appears to be backtracking from its earlier stand on bringing pay parity for all undergraduate medical interns, whether they are studying in government or private medical colleges.

Earlier, the Union Health Ministry had twice written to the National Medical Commission (NMC) on “examining” the issue of pay parity. The NMC, on its part, had also accepted that there is no stipend parity.

The next step was for the NMC to amend the key provision of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021 (CRMI Regulations 2021), which states that “all interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State.”

This provision contrasts with the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulation-2023, which makes no distinction between interns working in government or private medical colleges.

However, within months, the ministry has taken a U-turn, even though the Supreme Court had slammed the medical regulatory body, saying that it is “dragging its feet without any serious concern” on non-payment of stipend to interns and had urged it to “wake up from its slumber and take appropriate steps” in its October 28 order.

After showing keenness over the issue, in its RTI reply, the Medical Education Policy Section (MEP) under the Union Health Ministry said, “The National Medical Commission (NMC) is the apex statutory body constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, for regulating medical education and profession in the country. All matters relating to framing, amendment, and implementation of medical education regulations fall within the domain of NMC.”

“Therefore, in view of the above, no further action is required to be taken by the MEP Section in the matter, as the subject falls within the domain of the National Medical Commission (NMC)," said the April 2 response to Kerala-based RTI activist, Dr KV Babu when he reminded the ministry on the action NMC has taken to its directions on pay parity.

Speaking with this paper, Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the twin issue of non-payment of stipends to interns and pay parity, said, “The issue of stipend parity has been pending with the NMC and government for almost five years.”

“Though following the SC order, the government took a proactive decision to amend CRMI regulations in line with PGME regulations, the nominated, almost vacant, UGMEB is not inclined to amend the regulations for stipend parity even after harsh criticism from the SC and the communications from the government.”

“It should be noted that though the government have the authority to direct the NMC/UGMEB to amend the regulations for stipend parity, they are absolving the responsibility, though they had no hesitation in directing the NMC to act on issues that suited them earlier,” he said.

“It should be presumed that the government and the nominated vacant UGMEB are hand in glove in denying stipend parity to the hapless interns," Dr Babu added.

Interestingly, the NMC’s Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), which determines undergraduate medical education standards, is without a president. The issue of 19 posts being vacant at NMC, out of the 54 sanctioned strength, was also highlighted in the Parliament.

In its February 18 response to the ministry’s reminders, NMC had said that “any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021, if required, would need consideration in accordance with the statutory process and after due consultation with all concerned authorities.”

However, the NMC continued to sit on the issue, and the ministry also took a U-turn on the matter, which has been agitating medical students and also taken up by various associations, such as FAIMA and FORDA

NMC seeks anonymous feedback from MBBS students on teaching, training and campus support

 NMC seeks anonymous feedback from MBBS students on teaching, training and campus support

The NMC Secretary said an online “student feedback form” is being sought from Undergraduate Medical Students of Medical Colleges and Institutions under the purview of NMC.

Kavita Bajeli-Datt

Updated on:

29 Mar 2026, 5:00 pm

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has sought feedback from MBBS students on various aspects of their medical education, including the quality of their lectures, faculty availability, clinical training, patient exposure, anti-ragging measures, student safety, and mental health support on their campuses.

The NMC has promised that these responses will be anonymous and confidential, and that they are being sought for academic review and quality improvement purposes.

In an advisory, NMC Secretary, Dr Raghav Langer, said an online “student feedback form” is being sought from Undergraduate Medical Students of Medical Colleges and Institutions under the purview of NMC.

“This feedback aims to gather your valuable anonymous feedback on various aspects of your medical College and medical education experience,” the advisory, dated March 26, said.

The form covers aspects such as quality of teaching and lectures, faculty availability and adequacy, clinical training and patient exposure, labs, dissection halls and practical training, community medicine and rural training, ragging and student safety, campus culture/student welfare, anti-ragging measures and grievance redressal, mental health support, extracurricular activities, curriculum, college administration and governance, etc.

“Your response will be anonymous and confidential. The feedback is being collected solely for internal academic review and quality improvement purposes,” said the advisory, addressed to all states, deans of all medical colleges, the medical education department of the Union Health Ministry, among others.

The online form can be accessed through the NMC website.

The NMC requested the MBBS students to “wholeheartedly participate in filling the online student feedback form.”

Speaking with this paper, Kerala-based RTI activist, KV Babu, said, “Getting feedback from the students is a welcome move. But the track record of NMC regarding follow-up action based on feedback is not very convincing. Few years back, NMC had done a survey about stipend for interns and PGs without any follow-up action. They didn't even disclose the names of medical colleges which took back the stipend from PGs.”

Ongole Medical College Fined Rs 1 Crore by NMC

Ongole Medical College Fined Rs 1 Crore by NMC 

DC Correspondent 15 March 2026 8:35 PM 

Penalty for failing to disclose stipend details of MBBS interns and PG residents

National Medical Commission acts against Ongole Medical College over stipend rule violations. 

Nellore: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has imposed a Rs 1 crore penalty on Government Medical College, Ongole, in Prakasam district for failing to comply with its directions on disclosure and payment of stipends to MBBS interns and postgraduate medical residents.

The action follows an NMC public notice issued on July 11, 2025, directing all medical colleges to publish details of stipends paid to interns and PG residents on their official websites to ensure transparency and uniformity.

According to the commission, the Ongole medical college was among seven institutions across the country that failed to furnish the required information despite repeated reminders, thereby violating provisions of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and related regulations.

The NMC stated that continued non-compliance with stipend payment and disclosure norms could invite further regulatory action, including restrictions on admissions, suspension of permissions, or other disciplinary measures.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle )

SC castigates NMC on stipend issue

SC castigates NMC on stipend issue 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 04.11.2025

With National Medical Commission (NMC) failing to ensure that all private medical colleges and deemed universities pay stipend to MBBS interns, Supreme Court (SC) directed the Union health secretary to ensure that NMC collects details of charges imposed by these institutions and the stipend they pay. SC, in an order last week, said

it expected the commission “to wake up from slumber” and directed it to file a comprehensive compliance affidavit within two weeks. Over two years after SC said non-payment of stipend to MBBS interns was akin to bonded labour, not only has NMC failed to ensure payment, it has failed to even produce a list of medical colleges with details of how much they paid as stipend or penalise colleges not paying stipend, as it has been threatening to do. I

n July, NMC had issued a public notice directing colleges to submit the complete course-wise fee structure and details of stipend payment to MBBS interns/junior residents/senior residents etc, tuition fees, hostel charges, caution deposits and all miscellaneous charges. NMC had threatened to act against the colleges, including issuing show-cause notices, imposing financial penalties, withdrawing course recognition and suspending admissions, if they failed to comply. 

A few days before the July 11 public notice, NMC had issued another notice, pushing the onus of addressing grievances of medical students onto colleges, universities and directorates of medical education at the state level. Before the sudden move to shift responsibility and the U-turn soon after, NMC had issued notices to colleges thrice in 2024, threatening action. However, with no action being taken, colleges clearly have not taken the threats seriously. SC observed that NMC “seems to be dragging its feet without having any serious concern.”

MBBS Internship: 'You Make Them Work For 18-19 Hours & Pay No Stipend?' : Supreme Court Asks Army College To Clear Arrears Of 2022 Batch

MBBS Internship: 'You Make Them Work For 18-19 Hours & Pay No Stipend?' : Supreme Court Asks Army College To Clear Arrears Of 2022 Batch 

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi 1 Aug 2025 2:40 PM

Listen to this Article The Supreme Court today(August 1) directed the Army Medical College Sciences to pay stipend arrears, calculated at Rs.25,000 per month, to the MBBS interns of 2022.

There was an order passed in September 2023 to pay a monthly stipend of Rs. 25,000 to medical students from the batches from October 2023.

At the outset, a bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar questioned Senior Advocate R Balasubramanian, for the Army College, why they failed to disburse the stipend even after three years had passed.

 Advocate Tanvi Dubey, for the petitioners, informed the Court that three subsequent batches have received a stipend of Rs. 25,000. Another advocate appearing for petitioner Abhishek Yadav said, "They have already given their services in the mandatory internship program. This order says that the present batch commencing from today should get stipend of Rs. 25,000. We are the ones that approached the Court. We have already interned and given our services and we have not been given any sought of arrears.

Balasubramanian responded that the College is run by a society and it's not government-funded. Justice Dhulia however said that since these students worked for the College, they must be paid the stipend.

The Court passed an order: "Advocate R Balasubramanian, who appears for Army Medical College Sciences has made a very fair statement that Army College will give the same stipdent of Rs. 25,000 to all the interns. A three-judge bench of this Court on the same matter had passed the following orders giving stipend to the interns who are similarly situated as the petitioners batch commencing from 1 October 2023, for whom a stipend of Rs. 25,000 was fixed. 

We are informed that this stipend has been given. As regarding previous batch, it was said as follows. We are of the opinion that the same benefit ought to be given to the previous batch as well. Since nothing has come from the Respondent as to the amount, consequently we direct that interns of 2022, who had done their internship with Army Medical College, that also be paid an amount of Rs. 25,000. Let the same be calculated and paid within eight weeks."

Counsel for Petitioners: Mr. Somdev Tiwari, Ms. Kokila Kumar, Ms. Shefali Munde, Vansh Shrivastav.

Counsel for College: Col. R. Balasubramian

Increase in monthly stipends for Pb med, dental college interns

Increase in monthly stipends for Pb med, dental college interns 

25.07.2025

Chandigarh : Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday announced an increase in the monthly stipends for interns, junior residents, and senior residents across govt medical and dental colleges in the state. The finance minister said there are currently 907 sanctioned intern posts, 1,408 for junior residents, and 754 for senior residents within Punjab’s govt medical and dental colleges. 

The stipend for interns has been substantially raised from Rs 15,000 to Rs 22,000 per month. For junior residents, the new stipend structure will see a rise from the current Rs 67,968 per month to Rs 76,000 in the first year, Rs 77,000 in the second year, and Rs 78,000 in the third year. 

Similarly, senior residents will experience an increase from their current Rs 81,562 per month to Rs 92,000 in the first year, Rs 93,000 in the second year, and Rs 94,000 in the third year. Cheema reiterated the state govt’s dedication to allocating ample resources for the education and health sectors. He said that the annual expenditure on these stipends, currently Rs 204.96 crore, will escalate to Rs 238.18 crore following this enhancement, representing an estimated annual increase of Rs 33.22 crore. The finance minister affirmed the Punjab govt’s resolve to enhance healthcare facilities throughout the state. He also mentioned the recent initiative to provide insurance coverage of Rs 10 lakh to every citizen, further emphasising the govt’s focus on public welfare. Cheema assured that there will be no scarcity of funds for the continued development and improvement of healthcare infrastructure and services in Punjab. TNN

Min: Won’t tolerate violence in hosps Patiala: Punjab health and family welfare minister Dr Balbir Singh on Thursday conducted a surprise inspection of Govt Rajindra Hospital in Patiala to review healthcare services. During his visit, he engaged with patients in the emergency ward, OPD, and other hospital units, gathering feedback on the quality of care and facilities provided. Dr Singh stated that such incidents would not be tolerated. "Anyone attempting to disturb the peace in a hospital will face strict legal action and be sent straight to jail," he warned. TNN

NMC again threatens action for not paying stipend

NMC again threatens action for not paying stipend

rema.nagarajan@timesofindia.com. 21.07.2025

National Medical Commission has yet again issued a public notice threatening to take action against medical colleges that do not pay stipends to interns and resident doctors. With no evidence of any action being taken after similar threats in 2023 and 2024, it remains to be seen whether the change in the chairman of the commission leads to action this time. 

Three months back, the NMC had threatened to impose ₹50,000 as penalty on medical colleges which save several crores of rupees every year by not paying stipend. NMC’s regulations stipulate that all medical colleges have to pay interns and resident doctors stipend equivalent to what state govt medical colleges are paying. 

Just three days before the latest public notice dated July 11, the NMC had issued another notice shifting the responsibility of addressing grievances of medical students to medical colleges, universities and directorates of medical education of the respective states. Yet, the commission itself is now threatening to take action including imposition of financial penalties, withdrawal of course recognition and suspension of admissions. 

The latest notice reminded medical colleges that, in keeping with Supreme Court’s order of April 29, all private and deemed universities must disclose detailed information regarding tuition fees, hostel charges, caution deposits and all miscellaneous charges at the pre-counselling stage. Citing another order of Supreme Court in 2022 and the commission’s own regulations, it said the payment of stipend was mandatory.

Pvt medical colleges to pay govt PGs stipend only

Pvt medical colleges to pay govt PGs stipend only 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 16.07.2025

Chennai : Madras high court has clarified that private self financing medical colleges are required to pay only a stipend, and not a full salary, to in-service govt doctors pursuing postgraduate or super-specialty courses under the govt quota. 

A division bench of Justice R Subramanian and Justice K Surender passed the order while partly allowing a batch of appeals moved by Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College and others. They challenged a single judge's order that directed private colleges to pay salaries to in-service doctors studying in their institutions. 

The appeals were moved based on a GO dated Feb 7, 2020, which permits salary payments only to in-service doctors studying in govt medical colleges, including Raja Muthiah Medical College (a govt-acquired institution), and denies the same to those studying in private colleges. 

The institutions argued that they should not be compelled to pay full salaries, as the inservice doctors were not employees of the private institutions. They cited Regulation 13.3 of the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, which mandates payment of a stipend on par with govt medical colleges but does not refer to salary. Concurring with the submissions, the judges said private colleges are liable to pay only the stipend fixed by the state govt for postgraduate medical students and not the full salary that govt-employed doctors receive while studying in govt institutions. 

“Inservice doctors in private colleges do not retain employee status with those institutions and are to be treated as students,” the bench said.

‘27% of PG students not paid stipend by private, self-financed colleges’

‘27% of PG students not paid stipend by private, self-financed colleges’ 

13.07.2025

Non-compliance with the above requirements shall attract regulatory action which include issuance of show-cause notice, imposition of financial penalties, withdrawal of course recognition and even suspension of admissions, the NMC says. 

An online survey conducted by the NMC recently revealed 27% of Post-Graduate (PG) students are not paid any stipend by private/self-financed medical colleges. There are nearly 54% PG students who receive less than the amount paid to their counterparts in govt-run medical colleges. More importantly, the survey conducted among 7,901 PG students from 213 self-financed/private medical colleges spread across 19 states revealed 16% PG students had to return the stipend money to college management.

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends 

Ajay TomarTNN

Jun 11, 2025, 14:52 IST

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends Hyderabad: Medical students in private colleges across Hyderabad are raising alarm over unpaid or drastically low stipends, despite clear govt norms. These include MBBS interns, postgraduate (PG) residents, and senior residents, many of whom claim they're either paid a pittance or nothing at all — unlike their counterparts in govt medical colleges. 

While govt-approved stipends in Telangana range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending on the level of course, several private colleges are allegedly paying as little as Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 a month, which is less than the national floor level minimum wage (NFLMW). Some colleges are not paying stipends at all. First-year PG students in govt colleges receive Rs 58,289 per month. In contrast, private institutions are reported to be paying only Rs 18,000 in some cases. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad

We are paid a pittance, or nothing at all, lament pvt medical students "In some colleges, even if a stipend is paid, it's delayed for months. In others, management opens bank accounts in student's names, credits the money, and then takes it back — either through backdoor withdrawals or by asking us to return it in cash," alleged a PG student from a private medical college in Suraram. "We believe forged documents are being submitted to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) showing full payments." On Tuesday, medical students at Malla Reddy Medical College for Women staged a protest on campus, demanding a stipend equal to that of govt interns. Later, Dr Ch Badra Reddy, chairman of Malla Reddy Health City, met with the interns and informed them that the management is already committed to paying a stipend of Rs 4,000 per month. 

He added that this had been communicated to the NMC. "All private college managements will discuss the issue and reach a decision soon," said Dr Badra Reddy, requesting one week's time for this. As a result, the interns have temporarily suspended their strike. However, they said they would resume the strike if no response was received within the promised timeframe. On Monday, postgraduates and MBBS interns at the Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (PMRIMS) in Chevella also staged a protest with similar demands. High fees, no pay There are 23 private colleges in Telangana, many of them in Hyderabad. Students from most of the colleges say the problem is widespread. These colleges charge high tuition fees — up to Rs 1 crore for certain courses — but still fail to honour stipend obligations. "In some colleges, they're asking students to pay lakhs annually as ‘stipend fees', which is illegal. Many of us have family responsibilities. The stipend isn't a luxury — it's a lifeline," said a PG student from a private medical college in LB Nagar. "When we ask for fair compensation, the management doesn't respond or cites the fee hike as an excuse." 

The issue persists despite an Aug 2023 National Medical Commission (NMC) advisory that mandated private colleges pay stipends on par with govt colleges under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER), 2000. However, in Feb 2024, the NMC shifted responsibility to state authorities. While a 2022 and 2023 Supreme Court ruling clarified that stipends must be paid by both govt and private institutions, loopholes remain. The 2021 NMC regulation on MBBS internships vaguely says stipends "shall be fixed by the appropriate authority", giving private colleges leeway to exploit medical interns financially. The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) and the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA) have submitted representations to the director of medical education (DME), urging state intervention.

 "These practices are causing financial and emotional distress," said Dr D Ajay Kumar, T-JUDA general secretary. "The govt must act immediately." The TAFRC has sought explanations from college managements, alleging "serious irregularities and exploitation". On May 31, health minister C Damodar Raja Narasimha raised the issue with NMC chairman Dr BN Gangadhar during a meeting in Hyderabad. He urged strong action against defaulting institutions, and Gangadhar assured that the matter would be reviewed seriously.

Private medical colleges in Telangana credit ₹25,000 stipend, take back ₹20,000 in cash, allege MBBS students

Private medical colleges in Telangana credit ₹25,000 stipend, take back ₹20,000 in cash, allege MBBS students

Speaking to The Hindu, interns from multiple private institutions detailed disturbing practices employed by the administrations to create an illusion of compliance.

Updated - June 23, 2025 08:41 am IST - HYDERABAD

Siddharth Kumar Singh

MBBS interns at one of the private medical colleges protesting against non-payment of stipend. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Several MBBS interns in Telangana’s private medical colleges have come forward with allegations of non-payment of stipends and systemic intimidation. Despite a 2023 government order mandating a monthly stipend of ₹25,906 for medical interns across both government and private colleges in the State, students say many private institutions are flouting the rule, paying as little as ₹2,000 per month or ₹5,000 in some cases.

Speaking to The Hindu, interns from multiple private institutions detailed disturbing practices employed by the administrations to create an illusion of compliance. At Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences, for instance, an intern alleged that ₹25,000 is credited to their bank account every month, only to be withdrawn and ₹20,000 returned to the college in cash. “We are made to open specific bank accounts just for this purpose. It is all a show so they can claim compliance on paper,” said the intern.

RTI: 10 Karnataka institutes not paying stipends to med interns, NMC silent

RTI: 10 Karnataka institutes not paying stipends to med interns, NMC silent

The response was to an RTI filed by Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the issue since last year, and had sought the names of medical colleges not paying stipends to their interns.

Kavita Bajeli-Datt

Updated on:

10 Jun 2025, 9:16 am

NEW DELHI: Even as the National Medical Commission (NMC) continues to ignore the issue of medical colleges not paying stipends to their interns, states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Gujarat top the list of having the most institutes out of the 60 in the country that are not paying any compensation, a series of RTIs have revealed.

Although 60 medical colleges - 33 government institutes and 27 private colleges - do not pay stipends, another 50 pay nominal stipends of less than Rs 5,000, some even Rs 2,000.

An RTI filed by Dr K.V. Babu has shown that as many as 10 of the 60 institutes not paying stipends are in Karnataka, which includes six government and four private medical colleges. Karnataka is followed by Gujarat (three government and four private medical colleges), Maharashtra (six government and one private college), and West Bengal (six government and one private college).

Telangana is not paying stipends in three private and two government colleges. Others are Andhra Pradesh (four government institutes), UP (three government colleges), Tamil Nadu (three private colleges), Assam (two government colleges), Madhya Pradesh (two private colleges), and Delhi (two private colleges), as per an RTI reply, dated April 29.

The response was to an RTI filed by Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the issue since last year, and had sought the names of medical colleges not paying stipends to their interns.

The Kerala-based RTI activist filed another RTI on April 2 seeking NMC’s stand against such medical colleges, and was informed that “NMC is the regulatory body which issues guidelines, regulations from time to time.”

“The implementation of the guidelines is solely at the discretion of the state authorities concerned under which the medical college/institute is located,” the RTI reply said.

Dr Babu said, “The position taken by NMC is absurd. Are they expecting the director of medical education or state medical councils to act against the governments for nonpayment of stipends in 33 government medical colleges? If so, under which law?”

“If it is not the responsibility of the NMC to enforce their regulations regarding stipends of UGs and PGs, then why did they issue a show cause notice on November 28, 2024? Their documents show more than 110 medical colleges are not paying stipulated stipends,” Dr Babu, an ophthalmologist, added.

He further said that NMC has the power and responsibility to take action against medical colleges that don’t comply with the regulations under the MSME regulations 2023.

As per the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations (MSME) regulations, 2023, which were gazetted on September 23, if any regulation, including non-payment of stipends to interns and postgraduate students, is violated, several steps can be taken against the erring medical college and institution.

The violation attracts withholding and withdrawal of accreditation for five academic years and a penalty of Rs. 1 crore.

It is to be noted that NMC, which regulates these medical colleges, issued show cause notices to 198 colleges in November last year only after the apex court prodded them. Despite warning them about taking penal action for not submitting stipend details, no action has been taken until now.

PG medicos launch stir over non-payment of stipend in Telangana

PG medicos launch stir over non-payment of stipend in Telangana

Students have been urging the college administration to clear the outstanding payments, ensure regular disbursal and revise the stipend amount to match those offered in government medical colleges

Students protest over non-payment of stipendPhoto | Express

Aarti Kashyap

Updated on:

10 Jun 2025, 9:33 am

HYDERABAD: Postgraduate interns at Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (PMRIMS) in Chevella launched a strike on Monday, demanding the release of their long-pending stipends.

For several months, students have been urging the college administration to clear the outstanding payments, ensure regular disbursal and revise the stipend amount to match those offered in government medical colleges as per Government Order (GO) 59.

Frustrated by the administration’s inaction, the students resorted to a protest.

According to the agitating students, stipends for second-year postgraduates have been pending since September, while first-year students have not received payment for the past three months. They alleged that the college has been paying only Rs 10,000 per month since the first year — an amount they say is grossly insufficient to cover basic expenses.

“We have been requesting an increase in the stipend since our first year,” said Dr Mohammed Ismail, a second-year PG student, speaking to TNIE. “Even though we managed with RS 10,000 initially, we demanded the amount be revised in line with GO 59. But there has been no response. On top of that, no one in the administration is taking responsibility. We are made to work long hours without fair compensation.”

The GO 59, issued by the state government in 2023, mandates a monthly stipend of Rs 58,289 for first-year PG students and Rs 61,528 for second-year students in government medical colleges. PMRIMS students are demanding a similar stipend structure.

However, the college administration allegedly refused even a proposed increase to Rs 20,000. Students further claimed that the management deposits Rs 50,000 into their bank accounts for official records, but then forces them to return Rs 40,000 — leaving them with only Rs 10,000.

In another serious allegation, first-year students said that when they demanded payment of their three-month dues, the college asked their parents to deposit Rs 6 lakh to facilitate stipend disbursal.

“We have paid our fees on time and work sincerely during long duty hours,” said one first-year student. “We are asking for what is rightfully ours. Instead, the college is asking our parents to deposit additional money to fund our stipends. That’s completely unjust.”

When contacted by TNIE, the college authorities declined to comment on the matter.

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends 

Ajay Tomar

Jun 11, 2025, 4:11 IST

Private medical students cry foul over unpaid & meagre stipends 

Hyderabad: Medical students in private colleges across Hyderabad are raising alarm over unpaid or drastically low stipends, despite clear govt norms. These include MBBS interns, postgraduate (PG) residents, and senior residents, many of whom claim they're either paid a pittance or nothing at all — unlike their counterparts in govt medical colleges. While govt-approved stipends in Telangana range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending on the level of course, several private colleges are allegedly paying as little as Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 a month, which is less than the national floor level minimum wage (NFLMW). Some colleges are not paying stipends at all. 

First-year PG students in govt colleges receive Rs 58,289 per month. In contrast, private institutions are reported to be paying only Rs 18,000 in some cases. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad "In some colleges, even if a stipend is paid, it's delayed for months. In others, management opens bank accounts in student's names, credits the money, and then takes it back — either through backdoor withdrawals or by asking us to return it in cash," alleged a PG student from a private medical college in Suraram.

"We believe forged documents are being submitted to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) showing full payments." On Tuesday, medical students at Malla Reddy Medical College for Women staged a protest on campus, demanding a stipend equal to that of govt interns. Later, Dr Ch Badra Reddy, chairman of Malla Reddy Health City, met with the interns and informed them that the management is already committed to paying a stipend of Rs 4,000 per month. He added that this had been communicated to the NMC.

"All private college managements will discuss the issue and reach a decision soon," said Dr Badra Reddy, requesting one week's time for this. As a result, the interns have temporarily suspended their strike. However, they said they would resume the strike if no response was received within the promised timeframe. On Monday, postgraduates and MBBS interns at the Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (PMRIMS) in Chevella also staged a protest with similar demands. High fees, no pay

There are 23 private colleges in Telangana, many of them in Hyderabad. Students from most of the colleges say the problem is widespread. These colleges charge high tuition fees — up to Rs 1 crore for certain courses — but still fail to honour stipend obligations. "In some colleges, they're asking students to pay lakhs annually as ‘stipend fees', which is illegal. Many of us have family responsibilities. The stipend isn't a luxury — it's a lifeline," said a PG student from a private medical college in LB Nagar. "When we ask for fair compensation, the management doesn't respond or cites the fee hike as an excuse." 

The issue persists despite an Aug 2023 National Medical Commission (NMC) advisory that mandated private colleges pay stipends on par with govt colleges under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER), 2000. However, in Feb 2024, the NMC shifted responsibility to state authorities. While a 2022 and 2023 Supreme Court ruling clarified that stipends must be paid by both govt and private institutions, loopholes remain. The 2021 NMC regulation on MBBS internships vaguely says stipends "shall be fixed by the appropriate authority", giving private colleges leeway to exploit medical interns financially. 

The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) and the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA) have submitted representations to the director of medical education (DME), urging state intervention. "These practices are causing financial and emotional distress," said Dr D Ajay Kumar, T-JUDA general secretary. "The govt must act immediately." The TAFRC has sought explanations from college managements, alleging "serious irregularities and exploitation". On May 31, health minister C Damodar Raja Narasimha raised the issue with NMC chairman Dr BN Gangadhar during a meeting in Hyderabad. He urged strong action against defaulting institutions, and Gangadhar assured that the matter would be reviewed seriously.

NMC slaps a penalty of Rs 50,000 against medical colleges defaulting on stipends, admission information

NMC slaps a penalty of Rs 50,000 against medical colleges defaulting on stipends, admission information

 Institutions are required to provide details related to stipends and submit supporting documents 

Sonal.Srivastava@timesofindia.com 07.04.2025

The National Medical Commission (NMC) routinely asks medical colleges to submit information regarding admissions including details of stipends given to the resident doctors and MBBS interns. To control irregularities related to admission, details of admitted students and distribution of stipends, NMC plans to impose a penalty of Rs 50,000 on erring colleges. Besides the colleges might face the threat of a reduction in the number of seats, if colleges are found flouting NMC norms. According to a PGMEB public notice dated March 29, 2025, the last date for online submission of this information has been extended to April 7. All institutions are required to provide details related to stipends, whether or not stipends are being paid. If not, institutions must give reasons and submit supporting documents in hard copy. These must include details such as the amount of stipend paid, the stipend paid by government institutions in the respective state, and the name of the postgraduate teacher under whom the student is admitted.

 “The 50,000 penalty is a general fine applicable to institutions that have failed to submit admission data for the 2024–2025 academic year. Some institutions have cited technical reasons for the delay,” said a source in the Ministry of Health, on the condition of anonymity. Unless the NMC has complete data, it cannot act appropriately against erring institutions. “The institutions must submit all required information with an undertaking. This includes stipend details; some institutions have yet to provide this data. The NMC cannot impose penalties arbitrarily; there must be a structured process. 

The Rs 50,000 penalty is more of a reminder with consequences. If colleges still do not comply, stricter action can be taken. The NMC is currently short-staffed, but new members are expected to join soon, who will scrutinise the reports, and if an institution is found guilty, penalties may be imposed, including a reduction in seats,” the source added. 

In 2023-24 AY, 80–90% of colleges paid penalties, depending on the deficiencies noted. Penalties ranged from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh and even Rs 50 lakh. The Rs 50,000 fine is specifically for colleges that fail to submit data to the NMC within the deadline. “There is a general rule regarding payment of stipends. A standard amount has been mandated for all, but students often do not raise complaints. This is also a law-and-order issue—students are legally entitled to file an FIR. However, they must first approach their college, then the university, followed by the state counselling authorities, and finally the NMC. The state is the first responder. It must escalate the matter to the NMC if it cannot resolve the issue. After all, the state issues the essentiality certificate to a medical institution,” says the source. 

Currently, some private state medical colleges are not strictly adhering to stipend regulations. Dr KV Babu, RTI activist, has been following the issue of nonpayment of stipends, for nine years and demands strict action against such medical colleges. “As per the NMC, the state medical councils should keep a check and attend to complaints. I have also written to the Prime Minister’s Office as the current situation is extremely demotivating for interns and resident doctors. 

In Kerala, interns in some private colleges receive as little as Rs 100-200 per day, while their counterparts in government colleges earn Rs 26,000,” says Dr Babu. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has been consistently advocating for mandatory, uniform stipend structures across all medical colleges. “There should be strict penalties for institutions that fail to pay or underpay interns, and a transparent monitoring system where interns can report stipendrelated grievances without fear of retaliation,” says Aviral Mathur, former president, FORDA. Failing to pay stipends raises serious ethical concerns as it undermines the principle of fair compensation for work, especially in a profession as critical as medicine.

 “It reflects poorly on the institution’s commitment to student welfare and creates inequities between interns in government and private colleges, thereby harming the fairness of the medical education system,” says Dr Partha Pratim Mandal, convener, IMA Junior Doctor Network, West Bengal.

Private medical colleges save crores on stipends as NMC dithers

Private medical colleges save crores on stipends as NMC dithers

Private medical colleges are saving significant amounts by underpaying or not paying stipends to MBBS interns and resident doctors, despite regulations. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has been ineffective in enforcing standards, leading to disparities and financial exploitation in private institutions.

Rema NagarajanTNN

Mar 2, 2025, 18:17 IST

Private medical colleges are saving crores of rupees by either not paying stipends to MBBS interns and resident doctors or paying them a fraction of what government medical colleges pay. According to the National Medical Commission (NMC), the data on stipend payment submitted by colleges showed that 60 (33 govt colleges and 27 private ones) were not paying MBBS interns any stipend.

Most private colleges have not even submitted the information on how much stipend is being paid. After initially threatening to take action, in the face of colleges not even submitting data sought from them, the apex regulator, the NMC, has passed the buck to state authorities.

Thousands of MBBS students doing clinical duties during the final year internship are being paid less than the national floor minimum wage of Rs 5,300 per month according to the data submitted to Supreme Court by NMC. Data from 20 private colleges shows that they pay Rs 5,000 or less. Many colleges have admitted that they do not pay any stipend. Though this information was available to NMC in July last year, no action has been taken against any college.

The NMC’s PG Medical Education Regulation 2023 stipulate that private colleges have to pay a stipend equivalent to what government colleges of the state pay resident doctors. However, the NMC (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021 are vague about how much MBBS interns should be paid. They state that "all interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State". Taking advantage of this, many private colleges pay MBBS interns a pittance.

“I had alerted the health ministry to the vague wording in the clause regarding stipend for MBBS interns in 2022, when the draft was put up for comments from the public, and later raised objections when the suggestion was not incorporated. I had requested them to amend the clause to make it mandatory for all colleges to pay stipend at par with government medical colleges of the particular state. Neither the health ministry nor the NMC has done anything about it,” said Dr KV Babu, an RTI activist who has been pursuing the issue over five years.

The stipend paid by some private colleges is as low as Rs 2,000 per month though they take several lakhs as fees per year. For instance, in Andhra Pradesh, government colleges pay MBBS interns Rs 22,500 per month. However, many private colleges are paying just Rs 2,000-5,000 as stipend per month. The tuition fee alone for the MBBS course in these private colleges is Rs 65 lakh for management quota students and over Rs 1.2 crore for NRI quota students. Most of these colleges with about 150 seats each would have had to spend roughly Rs 4 crore per year if they paid stipend equal to what government colleges are paying. By paying the interns a pittance, a college could save over Rs 2 crore or more each year, even as they collect around Rs 50 crore just from tuition fees.

Similarly, in Karnataka, MBBS interns in state government colleges are paid a stipend of Rs 30,000 per month. But many private colleges are paying just Rs 10,000-12,000, while their annual tuition fees for management and NRI seats could be as much as Rs 25 lakh to Rs 45 lakh per year. In Pondicherry, while government colleges pay Rs 20,000 as stipend, a deemed university medical college with 250 seats, where annual tuition fees are Rs 25 lakh, pays just Rs 5,000. The college earns over 1.2 crore from each MBBS student, but spends less than one lakh rupees on stipend for each student.

There is wide variation even in the stipend paid in government colleges from about Rs 35,000 in Assam to just Rs 12,000 in Uttar Pradesh. This is despite a long-standing demand of MBBS students for the amount to be centrally fixed and made mandatory for all colleges whether government or private. NMC was not even acting on the issue of non-payment of stipend till the Supreme Court categorically stated that paying stipend was mandatory. The case drags on as NMC claims to be struggling to get data from medical colleges. Instead of asking colleges, which are under its direct control, the NMC has been writing innumerable letters to the directorate of medical education of various states asking them to submit the data from all colleges on payment of stipend.

Stipend paid to MBBS interns (in Rs)

State

Govt

Pvt

Assam

35,000

NA

West Bengal

29,700-32,000

12,500-28,000

Karnataka

30,000

10,000-25,000

Odisha

28,000

15,000

Tamil Nadu

25,000-27,300

2,750-13,500

Delhi

26,300

no info

Meghalaya

26,300

NA

Kerala

26,000

10,000-16,000

Telangana

25,900

2,000-10,000

Arunachal

25,000

NA

Andhra Pradesh

22,500

2,000-10,000

Tripura

20,500

no info

Bihar

20,000

10,000

Goa

20,000

NA

Himachal Pradesh

20,000

no info

Pondicherry

20,000

2,500-5,000

Gujarat

18,200

12,000

Maharashtra

18,000

4,000-12,000

Uttarakhand

17,000

5,000

Punjab

15,000

15,000

J&K

12,300

no info

Haryana*

12,000

no info

Mizoram

12,000

NA

Uttar Pradesh

12,000

4,000-7,500

Sikkim

NA

14,500

NA- not applicable since the state may not have a private college, or a govt college in the case of Sikkim

No info- the information has not been submitted by the state/college

*only one college has given data and the amount is wrong since Haryana revised the stipend to Rs 17,000 in 2018 and last year it was revised again to Rs 24,310.

States which had not submitted any information included Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Manipur, Nagaland, and the union territories of Chandigarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The stipend in govt colleges in Rajasthan is Rs 14,000, in Jharkhand it is Rs 17,000, Rs 15,900 in Chhattisgarh and almost Rs 14,000 in Madhya Pradesh.

Source: Affidavit filed by the NMC in court in July 2024