SC Orders NMC to Resolve Pending Stipends for FMG Doctors
The Supreme Court has taken a stern view regarding non-payment of the FMG internship stipend across multiple states. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi directed the National Medical Commission to submit an explanatory affidavit. Furthermore, the court ordered the Rajasthan government to clear all pending dues within two weeks. The judges warned that continued default would prompt the personal appearance of the state health secretary.
Enforcing Parity in FMG Internship Stipend Payouts
Advocate Tanvi Dubey appeared for the aggrieved graduates and presented comparative data to the bench. Consequently, the submission revealed that several medical colleges have denied stipends to foreign medical graduates entirely. The advocate emphasized that NMC regulations mandate complete stipend parity between domestic graduates and foreign graduates. However, multiple state institutions continue to ignore these binding guidelines.
Both sets of doctors complete identical clinical shifts and handle identical emergency workloads. Therefore, treating foreign graduates differently violates fundamental notions of workplace equity. The bench previously noted that medical interns work demanding fifteen-hour shifts under stressful hospital conditions. In addition, junior doctors often hesitate to protest because they fear academic retaliation during postgraduate training.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Medical Education Oversight
The apex court intervened while hearing a long-standing petition filed by medical graduate Abhishek Yadav. Specifically, the NMC had previously acknowledged that seven institutions failed to disburse proper intern and resident allowances. Regulators issued show-cause notices to those delinquent medical colleges. Nevertheless, systemic compliance remains erratic across state-run and private institutions alike.
A previous judicial directive had established a monthly stipend of 25,000 rupees starting from October 2023. Nonetheless, previous internship batches had remained uncompensated in various regions. Thus, the Supreme Court demanded a comprehensive compliance status report from the NMC within two weeks. State administrators must now align their payroll mechanisms with national medical council standards immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What did the Supreme Court direct the NMC regarding FMG stipends?
The Supreme Court ordered the National Medical Commission to submit an affidavit explaining stipend delays in various colleges.
Q2: Does NMC mandate stipend parity between Indian and foreign medical graduates?
Yes, NMC circulars require institutes to pay equal stipends to both Indian and foreign medical graduates.
Q3: What deadline did the Supreme Court issue to the Rajasthan government?
The bench directed Rajasthan authorities to disburse pending stipends within two weeks to avoid contempt proceedings.
References
- SC directs medical body to explain delay in stipend to foreign medical graduates - ETHealthworld
- Supreme Court Seeks NMC Affidavit Over Stipend Delay For Foreign Medical Graduates - Times Now News
- All Medical Graduates, Whether Indian Or Foreign, Must Get Stipends On Parity, Says Supreme Court - Live Law
