Any amendment to CRMI regulations requires statutory process: NMC on MBBS intern stipend disparity row

New Delhi: Regarding the long-pending issue of stipend disparity between MBBS interns in government and private medical colleges, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission has noted that any amendment to the existing rule would require a statutory process.

In its communication dated February 18, 2026, the Commission stated that the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021 already provide for payment of stipend to interns. However, the actual implementation and the amount paid are decided by the respective States and Union Territories based on their financial capacity and budget provisions.

The board clarified that since the CRMI Regulations, 2021, were notified after due consultation and laid before Parliament, any amendment, including changes related to stipend parity, would have to follow the due statutory process.

"Hence as per the CRMI Regulation 2021 it is stated that the existing regulation already provides for the payment of stipend to interns. However, the actual implementation, including the rate of stipend, is undertaken by the respective States/UTs in accordance with their financial capacity and budgetary provisions. The regulation has been notified after deliberations with concerned authorities, experts and competent authorities assigned at the time of formulation of the regulation, The above regulation being statutory notified after due approval and consultation with MoHFW and the same is laid in the parliament," the board stated. 

The response came after the Union Health Ministry asked the NMC to examine the stipend provision under the CRMI Regulations, 2021 and consider the issue in light of similar provisions under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2023, where clearer stipend norms exist. The Ministry had written to the Commission twice last year on the matter.

Ultimately responding to the ministry, the NMC on February 18 said, "Any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021, if required, would need consideration in accordance with the statutory process and after due consultation with all concerned authorities."

While the government medical colleges pay interns between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000, private colleges either pay half of that or none at all. Data from NMC in 2025 showed that 60 of 555 medical colleges were not paying stipends, and many were paying nominal stipends of less than Rs 5,000 per month.

In June 2022, Dr Babu KV wrote to the Union Health Ministry requesting that the Gazette Notification dated November 18, 2021, which notified the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021, be withdrawn. He stated that his earlier comments submitted on July 24, 2021, regarding stipend parity were not incorporated before the regulations were finalised. He requested the Government to re-gazette the regulations.

In his representation, he specifically sought an amendment to Clause 6.3 relating to the stipend, which includes - "All the candidates pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which the MBBS course was completed, shall be paid stipend on par with the stipend being paid to the interns of the State Govt. Medical Institution / Central Government Medical Institution in the State / Union Territory where the institution is located." 

Thereafter, the Medical Education (Policy) Section of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare wrote to the National Medical Commission on November 6, 2025 and again on December 15, 2025. In its communication, the Ministry stated that since the NMC has been empowered to frame regulations under the NMC Act, 2019, it should examine the issue raised by Dr Babu KV regarding the stipend provision under the CRMI Regulations, 2021. The Ministry also asked the Commission to consider this issue in light of similar provisions under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2023, where clearer stipend norms exist.

UGMEB’s Response

On February 18, 2026, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission wrote to the Medical Education (Policy) Section of the Union Health Ministry regarding the issue of stipend parity under the CRMI Regulations, 2021. A copy of this communication was also marked to Dr. Babu KV.

In its concluding remarks, UGMEB stated that if any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021 is required, it would have to be undertaken strictly as per the statutory process. 

The Board clarified that "In view of the above, any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021 , if required would need consideration in accordance with the statutory process and after due consultation with all concerned authorities.If that is necessary ,it is for the UGMEB to do it ,as per the due process of law ,since the existing regulations regarding stipend is discriminatory."

Commenting on the matter, Dr Babu said, "When the draft CRMI regulations were put on the public domain in 2021 , I clearly informed the UGMEB that 'This is very vague & gives ample opportunity for the private medical college management to deny stipend to MBBS interns' . Unfortunately the UGMEB gazetted the draft regulations itself without incorporating the comments, though mine was the only response regarding stipend . Now the MEP of the GOI also agrees with my point that the present regulations is discriminatory . Now it is for the UGMEB to amend the CRMI regulations regarding stipend to avoid the continued exploitation of interns, in view of the opinion expressed by the Govt already."

The core issue

Back on 24.07.2021, the doctor had submitted his comments regarding the draft CRMI Regulations 2021. He had referred to the public notice issued by the erstwhile Medical Council of India on 25.01.2019 on GME Regulations, which mentioned that the Board of Governors in Supersession of MCI were considering including the following provisions in the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997:

"All the candidates pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which the MBBS course was completed, shall be paid a stipend on par with the stipend being paid to the interns of the State Govt. Medical Institution / Central Government Medical Institution in the State / Union Territory where the institution is located."

However, it was not gazetted till the BoG was dissolved. Referring to this and a Kerala High Court order dated October 29, 2025, the doctor had urged the authorities to redraft the provision of CRMI Regulations regarding the issue of stipend stating that all the candidates from a State/UT pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which MBBS course was completed, shall be paid stipend on par with the stipend being paid to the interns of the State Govt. Medical Institution / Central Government Medical Institution in that particular State/UT.

Following this, the Health Ministry has asked the NMC to examine the provision of stipend paid to undergraduate interns in the CRMI Regulations, 2021, keeping in view similar provisions under PGMER, 2023.

The issue of non-payment of stipend to MBBS interns and resident doctors across the medical institutes in India is currently also being considered by the Apex Court.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Apex Court took cognisance of the fact that even though the NMC had intimated the colleges to furnish the details of stipend paid to the MBBS interns, no action was taken by the Commission against the erring institutes. Expressing its hope and trust that the "NMC would wake up from its slumber" and take appropriate steps as indicated in its notice dated 11.07.2025 by the next date of hearing, the Court had also directed the Commission to file an affidavit enclosing the list of medical colleges that have furnished the stipend details.

The Supreme Court had also directed the Secretary of the Union Health Ministry to ensure that NMC would, as indicated in the communication dated 11.07.2025.

NMC in the concerned notice dated 11.07.2025 had mentioned that non-compliance with the direction to furnish stipend details would attract regulatory action as per Regulations 30 and 31 of the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023, Regulation 8 of the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023, and Regulations 9.1 and 9.2 of the PGIMER 2023.

Following the Supreme Court's recent order regarding the non-payment of stipends to MBBS interns, the Union Health Ministry then issued directives to the National Medical Commission (NMC) to examine the issue of non-payment of stipends by medical colleges and institutions to their interns and postgraduates.

Also read- Equal stipend for all MBBS interns soon? Health Ministry asks NMC to examine uniform pay across govt, private medical colleges