NMC Recommends Uniform PayScale, Retirement Policy like AIIMS Delhi for All Medicos, Faculty

New Delhi: The National Task Force of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has recommended implementing a uniform pay scale structure and retirement policy for all the medicos including interns, postgraduate students, super-specialty students, and medical college teachers.

In its report, the NMC Task Force has recommended that the pay scale of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi should be adopted for all medical students and teachers to ensure equity and fairness to promote job satisfaction.

Further, the Task Force has also recommended standardization of retirement (like AIIMS Delhi) and rotational headship policies across institutes noting that it ensures equity and attracts high-quality faculty. 

It also opined that prohibiting private practice for medical teachers and providing non-practising allowances can maintain the quality & integrity of education.

NMC Anti-Ragging Committee had set up the National Task Force to study existing literature and data on the mental health of medical students and propose evidence-based strategies for improving the same.

This Task Force had initiated an online survey, collecting data from medical students, faculties, and administrators regarding mental health history, workload, overall stress level, etc. More than 37,000 medical students had submitted their responses to the government authorities, indicating that they were suffering from mental stress.

The uniform Stipend Policy has been a long-pending demand for both MBBS interns and resident doctors across the country. Medical Dialogues had been reporting about the issue of stipend disparity faced by MBBS interns, especially how the private medical college students complained about not getting stipends from their parent institutes.  As per NMC rules, interns are paid a stipend as fixed by the appropriate fee fixation authority applicable to the Institution/University/State.

NMC Task Force's Recommendations: 

Uniform PayScale: 

Citing the UGC and AICTE pay scales, the 'National Task Force on Mental Health and Well-being of Medical Students' has suggested implementing a uniform pay scale for intern and resident doctors and medical teachers.

The Task Force mentioned in its report, "In alignment with UGC pay scales and AICTE pay scales regulations, we propose AIIMS, New Delhi pay scale for all medicos. A uniform AIIMS, New Delhi pay scale structure for interns, postgraduate students, super-specialty students, and medical college teachers ensures equity and fairness in compensation, promoting job satisfaction and attracting high-quality faculty and students."

Uniform Retirement Policy: 

Highlighting that the current retirement policy for medical faculty is inconsistent and disorganized, the Task Force opined that "A standardized retirement policy nationwide, adopting the AIIMS, New Delhi retirement policy to be implemented."

Uniform Pension Scheme: 

Further, the NMC Task Force has also recommended implementing a uniform pension scheme for all medical teachers. It mentioned in the report, "The implementation of a Uniform Pension Scheme for all medical teachers is essential to ensure their financial security post-retirement. Such a scheme will enable them to dedicate their efforts towards teaching, mentoring, and research without concerns about their future. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce a New Pension Scheme across all medical colleges."

Uniform Policy of Rotation of Headship (URH): 

The Task Force has recommended standardization in the rotational headship policy as well. It noted that implementing a rotational headship for department heads is "essential to introduce new ideas and practices, and prevent toxic environments under inefficient leadership."

"Standardizing pay scales, retirement and rotational headship policies across institutions ensures equity and attracts high-quality faculty. Prohibiting private practice for medical teachers and providing non-practicing allowances can maintain the quality & integrity of education," the National Task Force on Mental Health and Well-being of Medical Students mentioned in its report.

The issue of stipends paid to the MBBS interns is also being considered by the Supreme Court. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that during the hearing of the issue earlier this year, the Supreme Court directed NMC to submit the details of the stipend paid to the MBBS interns in all the medical colleges across all States within four weeks.

Accordingly, complying with the Supreme Court's directions, NMC asked the medical colleges to submit the details of the stipend paid to the medical students for the academic year 2023-2024. NMC had directed medical colleges to submit the details of their name and address, the amount of stipend paid by the State Government, and the month-wise details of the stipend paid to the MBBS interns, 1st/2nd/3rd-year Post-Graduate Residents, and 1st/2nd/3rd-year Senior Residents or PGs in Super Specialty for the academic year 2023-2024.

The Supreme Court bench took cognisance of the issue while considering a plea filed by five MBBS students studying at the Army College of Medical Sciences (ACMS) affiliated with Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University seeking a stipend for the period of internship.