NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court (SC) has mandated five medical colleges in Jharkhand to pay stipends to Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) completing their internships at these institutions. Located in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Dumka, Hazaribagh and Palamu, these colleges failed to distribute the required stipends despite clear regulations.
The Apex Court instructed the colleges to pay INR 25,000 per month to FMG interns, in accordance with the National Medical Commission (NMC) circular issued on July 12, 2023. As per this order, all FMGs must receive stipends equal to those of Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs) from their respective institutions. However, these five colleges refused to follow the guidelines.
FMGE Internship Issue: Students Seek Supreme Court Intervention
Many Indian students pursuing medical education in Ukraine returned to India due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, leaving their internships incomplete. Following NMC’s orders, authorities assigned them to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ranchi, Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad, Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital (PJMCH) Dumka, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) Hazaribagh and Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) Palamu to complete their internships.
Despite these placements, the institutions allegedly refused to pay the stipends and forced students into signing undertakings stating that their internships would be unpaid. Left with no alternative, the affected students petitioned the Supreme Court for intervention.
While hearing the writ petitions filed by FMG interns, the Supreme Court ruled that the students must receive stipends equivalent to MBBS (Indian Medical Graduate) interns. The court also issued a strict warning, stating that failure to comply with NMC regulations could result in serious consequences for the defaulting colleges and universities.
This decision reinforces the NMC’s commitment to ensuring equal treatment of FMG interns and upholding medical education standards in India.
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