“In a significant development concerning the payment of stipends to doctors during their MBBS internships, the Supreme Court on April 1 issued a decisive directive to the National Medical Commission (NMC), urging them to furnish detailed information on the stipend status across medical colleges in all states.

The Court highlighted the NMC’s failure to provide comprehensive data on all medical colleges nationwide, noting the non-compliance of an earlier directive issued on September 15, 2023. This directive had requested the NMC to present a tabulated chart addressing whether 70% of medical colleges fail to pay any stipend to interns or pay an amount below the minimum stipulated amount. Additionally, it sought clarification on the measures being taken by the NMC to enforce stipend payment norms.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the incomplete details provided by the NMC, a bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Prasanna B Varale instructed the commission to rectify this within four weeks.

During previous hearings, the bench expressed concerns over medical colleges inadequately compensating interns despite charging substantial fees. Justice Dhulia criticized the colleges for their stance, emphasizing that if they charge exorbitant fees, they should also fulfill their obligation to pay stipends.

Advocate Tanvi Dubey, representing the petitioners, highlighted that even Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) were not receiving stipends. The Court, expressing discontent, observed that FMGs should not be treated differently.

Case Title: Abhishek Yadav and others v. Army College of Medical Sciences | W.P.(C) No. 730/2022

The Court has scheduled the matter for a final hearing on May 6, 2024, after considering the submissions.”