FMGs Working Without Stipend! Doctors Urge Delhi CM for Reforms

New Delhi: Highlighting that the foreign medical graduates, undergoing internship in the National Capital, are working without any stipend, the doctors have urged Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to bring reforms in this regard.

The doctors under All India Medical Students Association Foreign Medical Students' Wing and All FMGs Association (AFA) have been raising the issue of unpaid and inadequate stipend across several states for a long time.

AFA raised the issue in an X post after the Chief Minister's Office, Delhi, announced a significant hike in the stipend paid to the nursing interns. The CMO of Delhi announced that the Delhi Government, in its recent cabinet meeting, decided to increase the stipend of nursing interns from Rs 500 to Rs 13,150, an unprecedented 26-fold increase.

"This is not just an economic decision, but a tribute to the dedication, sacrifice and service of the nursing interns who are the strong pillars of Delhi's health system. The Delhi government is ensuring that every hardworking health worker gets his rights, recognition and respect," read the X post.

Referring to this, AFA pointed out that in the same state, FMG qualified doctors are working tirelessly during their internships, often clocking long hours in hospitals, without receiving any stipend at all.

"This is not just unfair,it’s demoralizing. FMGs contribute equally to patient care, emergency duties, and ward responsibilities," mentioned the association, while urging the CM to ensure that Delhi FMGs are paid a fair stipend, just like their peers. "Equal work must mean equal dignity," mentioned the association.

In an earlier post, AFA had pointed out that the FMGs in Delhi are working without any stipend despite clear directives from the Supreme Court and the National Medical Commission, even when the Supreme Court, NMC and the Health Ministry are all in Delhi.

"The Supreme Court is in Delhi. The NMC is in Delhi. The Health Ministry is in Delhi. Yet FMGs working in Delhi hospitals are still not receiving stipends, despite clear directives from the Supreme Court and @NMC_BHARAT. No one can deny that the workload in Delhi’s hospitals is overwhelming. Expecting doctors to work day and night without earning even a single rupee is deeply unjust. While a few states provide stipends, most don’t pay a single rupee. This is the unfortunate reality of our medical education system. Requesting @MoHFW_INDIA @NMC_BHARAT @JPNadda @gupta_rekha to resolve this issue," the association had mentioned in the post.

The demands for reform have also been highlighted by AIMSA-FMSW. The association mentioned in an X post, "Doctors deserve dignity. FMGs in Delhi work without stipend. @NMC_BHARAT guidelines clearly say stipend must be given. We hope for a reformative decision under your leadership ensuring FMGs in Delhi receive stipend ,just like other States. @gupta_rekha ji @DrGoyalAnil Sir."

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Supreme Court had directed the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to give internship stipend arrears to 11 Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs). While considering the plea filed by these medical graduates from abroad, the Supreme Court issued directions to the AMU to disburse the stipend of Rs 26,300 per month to the petitioners within two weeks to ensure that the FMGs get the same amount of stipend, which is already being paid to the Indian Medical Graduates.