Non-payment of stipend: SC notice to NMC, MP medical college on plea of foreign medical graduates

Non-payment of stipend: SC notice to NMC, MP medical college on plea of foreign medical graduates

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the National Medical Commission (NMC) and a Madhya Pradesh-based government medical college after taking note of the grievance of some foreign medical graduates about not being paid stipend during their internship.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta took note of the submissions of lawyer Tanvi Dubey, appearing for five doctors who obtained their degrees from foreign medical colleges, that they should be treated on a par with those who did MBBS from Indian institutions.

The bench also issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh Medical Council apart from the NMC and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College, Vidisha on the plea filed by the five including Sajith SL of Thiruvananthapuram, and fixed it for hearing on March 11.

Dubey, during the brief hearing, argued that these students are being deprived of their rightful claim of monthly stipend even when the notification issued by the NMC states that they be treated on a par with Indian medical graduates.

"Issue an appropriate Writ… directing the Respondent No. 1 (medical college) to provide regular monthly stipend to the Petitioners and students part of list…for the entire period of their internship," the plea said.

It also sought directions to the NMC and others to determine the stipend to be paid to such students for the entire period of their internship as per the standards followed by other medical colleges.

These students are currently doing their internship at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College in Vidisha.

The plea also referred to the November 17, 2022 notice of the Government Medical Education Department of Madhya Pradesh which provided for a stipend of Rs 12,760 to interns with effect from April 01, 2022. PTI SJK SK SK