Poor Stipend in Private Medical Colleges: NMC receives around 29k responses from MBBS, PG medicos, reveals RTI

Thiruvananthapuram: Around 28,800 MBBS interns and Postgraduate students in self-financed medical colleges have participated in the online survey conducted by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and submitted their responses regarding the amount of stipend paid to them.

The information in this regard has been revealed by the Apex medical commission, in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Kannur-based Health Activist Dr. Babu KV.

Filing the RTI, Dr. Babu had sought information regarding the directions issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), based on which NMC issued the public notice regarding the survey on stipends.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that taking note of the issue of stipend disparity faced by the medical students belonging to the self-financing medical colleges, NMC had decided to conduct a survey regarding the amount of stipend paid to the intern and resident doctors belonging to the private medical colleges across the country. NMC took this decision to comply with the directions issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in this regard.

In this regard, NMC created a Google form asked all the UG students enrolled in MBBS internship to fill it up. Apart from the UG MBBS Interns, the PG medical students have also been requested to fill up the form by May 7, 2023.

Now, responding to the RTI filed by Dr. Babu, NMC has informed about the directions issued by NHRC regarding the matter. NHRC had taken cognisance of the matter after a student of Malabar Medical College, Kozhikode filed a complaint and alleged that the House Surgeons are paid inadequate stipend, in violation of Government order. It was claimed in the complaint that the house surgeons are paid Rs 8500 as stipend per month and out of this Rs 2500 is deducted towards mess charges.

Also Read: MBBS interns in Kerala upset with meagre stipend of Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000, Health Activists seek redraft of NMC CRMI regulations

In this regard, the complainant student had referred to a circular issued by the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS), as per which the monthly stipend paid to doctors in private medical colleges should be equal to the stipend paid in Government Medical Colleges.

While considering the matter, NHRC had issued directions to NMC on March 7, 2023 to conduct a survey in private medical colleges across the country to ensure how much stipend the students were receiving.

"Moreover, the NMC should also conduct a survey in all the Self Financed medical colleges all over the country to ascertain what the prescribed rates of stipend are for UG and PG interns and to check whether they are being paid accordingly. The results of the survey should also be sent to the Commission. Let action taken report in the matter be submitted by the NMC to the Commission within eight weeks," NHRC had directed to NMC.

NHRC Directions to KUHS, Kerala Govt: 

Apart from this, NHRC had also directed Kerala Government, KUHS, and NMC to ensure that MBBS interns belonging to private medical colleges in Kerala were being paid stipend at par with government medical colleges.

"...we issue directions to the State Government, KUHS, and NMC to ensure that stipend is paid to MBBS interns/ House Surgeons of all the self-financed medical colleges in Kerala at par with government medical colleges since 1.7.2019 and/or to de-recognize the colleges not following the same and also to pay the prescribed Risk Benefit Allowance for the Covid times. These payments should be made along with interest at RBI Bank Rate. Proof of payment should also be provided to the Commission. They should also have an online system for entertaining complaints from medical students and develop mechanism for their speedy resolution," NHRC had ordered.

Stipend Paid to Private Medical College Interns in Kerala: 

Medical Dialogues had been reporting about the issue of stipend disparity faced by MBBS interns along with their demands for a Uniform Stipend Policy across the country. Private medical college students across the country have been continuously complaining about not getting stipends by their parent institutes.

After the NMC initiated its survey, the intern doctors in Kerala expressed their disappointment with the private medical colleges for paying a meagre amount of stipend.

Sources had informed Medical Dialogues that in around 19 private medical colleges across Kerala, MBBS interns get a stipend ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000 per month. The effective amount of the stipend gets further reduced since the students are required to pay a huge amount of money for their accommodation.

Raising their concerns regarding the matter, the MBBS interns in Kerala also participated in the NMC survey. While commenting on the matter, the State Convener of the Indian Medical Association Medical Students Network (IMA MSN) Kerala, Vishwanath Kannan told The New Indian Express, “We have the most mobilised network of medical students when compared to other states. In the survey, we tried to give a realistic picture of the stipend issue in the state."

“Even in the best stipend paying private medical college a student gets less than Rs 600 a day. It is a human rights violation to offer such poor pay for the amount of work they do,” he added.

Meanwhile, commenting on the matter, Dr. Babu KV told Medical Dialogues, "In view of the NHRC directions to provide Government stipulated stipend for pvt medical college interns and likely findings of the survey held by NMC, they have to amend the interns regulations to stipulate uniform, mandatory stipend for all MBBS interns. Hope the NMC will act accordingly."

Back in 2021, the UG Medical Education Board of NMC released the Draft Regulations For Rotational Compulsory Regulations, 2021. Regarding stipend, the Draft mentioned that All Interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate fee fixation authority applicable to the Institution/university/ state. Therefore, the chances of the Interns doctors getting stipend for their service largely depends upon their concerned parent institutes.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that even though Dr. Babu had submitted his suggestions on the stipend of MBBS interns to the Apex Medical Body, NMC had ignored his comments and published the regulations on the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship.

Dr Babu had suggested that all the MBBS interns should get stipend on par with interns of the State Government Medical Institution/ Central Government Medical Institution in the State/Union Territory where the institution is located.

Earlier writing to NMC Chairman, Dr. Babu had referred to the CRMI regulations 2021 and pointed out that "...the only way out now is to undo the error on the part of the NMC by incorporating specific clauses in the CRI Regulations 2021 ( Annexure 4), if the NMC is serious about addressing the issue."

Also Read: NMC to conduct survey on medical college stipends, here is how MBBS, PG medicos can participate