What Action Taken Against Medical Colleges over Non-Payment of Stipend? Here's What NMC says
National Medical Commission (NMC)
New Delhi: On the question about the status of action taken against the 198 medical colleges that were earlier issued show-cause notice for non-payment of stipends to the medical students, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has stated that the concerned States/UTs where those medical institutes are located must bear the responsibility.
Responding to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Kerala-based Health Activist Dr. Babu in this regard, the Commission said that while NMC, being the regulatory body, issues guidelines and regulations from time to time, the said guidelines get implemented solely at the discretion of the concerned State authorities.
Last year in November, NMC slapped show-cause notices on these institutes for not complying with the Commission's directives to upload the details of the stipend paid to the interns and resident doctors. Medical Dialogues had reported that, back then, releasing a list of those 198 medical colleges on 28.11.2024, NMC specified that the failure of those colleges to submit the information regarding stipends was "considered seriously".
Filing the RTI application, Dr. Babu sought to know the status of the action taken against medical colleges, which were earlier issued show cause notice by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) for non-payment of stipends.
Also Read: Why no stipend details yet? NMC slaps notice on 198 medical colleges
"It is also inform that NMC is the regulatory body which issues guidelines, regulations from time to time. The implementation of the guidelines/instruction/advisory is solely at the discretion of the concerned state authorities under which the medical college/institute is located. However, the process of collection of data on stipend is in process," NMC replied on 11.02.2025.
Commenting on the matter, Dr. Babu told Medical Dialogues, "Though the NMC issued show cause notice to 198 medical colleges for not submitting the details of stipend paid to interns & resident doctors, they are evasive regarding the action taken against stipend non-paying medical colleges ,stating that it is the discretion of state authorities !"
"Though the regulations gazetted by the NMC in September 2023 regarding action that can be taken by the NMC clearly states that monetary penalties upto one crore can be imposed for non-compliance of regulations. NMC can even withhold accreditation for a period of five years ! I had been repeatedly saying that ,the NMC is solely responsible for non-compliance of regulations by Pvt medical colleges regarding stipend for interns & resident doctors," he added.
The list of medical colleges, which were issued show-cause, included renowned institutes such as Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), New Delhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College, Rohini, ESIC run medical colleges, Raipur Institute of Medical Sciences RIMS, GMERS medical colleges, Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College & Hospital, DY Patil medical college, MGM Vashi and many more.
Issuing the notices, NMC had asked them to explain why penal action should not be taken against them for this non-compliance. It had also directed the defaulting colleges to furnish the data relating to the payment of stipends during 2023-2024.
Previously also, Dr. Babu had sought to know what action was taken by the Commission against these colleges. Filing an RTI application on 10.12.2024, he had sought the details of the stipend submitted by 115 Government medical colleges and 83 private medical colleges based on the show cause notice issued by the NMC. He also sought to know if any action was taken against these institutes.
However, earlier, NMC did not provide any information stating that the matter was still sub-judice. NMC on 13.01.2025 replied, "The matter has been transferred to legal section UGMEB, NMC and as per available information the matter is sub-judice."
While NMC, in its latest reply, has clarified that the responsibility of implementing the guidelines lies with the concerned State/UT where the medical institute is located, Dr. Babu has relied on PGMER 2023, National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021 and Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023. As per PGMER 2023 Regulations, the post-graduate students undergoing post-graduate Degree/Diploma/Super-speciality courses in all the institutions shall be paid a stipend at par with the stipend being paid to the post-graduate students of State Government medical institutions/Central Government medical institutions, in the State/Union Territory where the institution is located.
Regarding the issue of stipend for the MBBS interns, the NMC CRMI Regulations, 2021 states that the interns shall be paid a stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/ University or State.
While these regulations specify that the medical colleges must pay stipends to MBBS interns and resident doctors, NMC in the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 has specified what penalties may be imposed on the institute for violation of its rules. As per these regulations, NMC can take action against a medical institute for violation of any of the regulations and such penalties could include withholding and withdrawal of accreditation for five academic years and a penalty of Rs 1 crore.
