'Stipend cannot be given to FMG Interns'- says Gujarat Medical Education Dept, draws backlash
Stipend
Ahmedabad: Despite a 2022 directive by the National Medical Commission and a Supreme Court order favouring equal stipend, Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Gujarat who recently completed their internships are yet to receive their 12-month stipend, with the state government declining payment.
FMGs, who joined government medical colleges in 2024 and completed their training this year, said they were assured of stipends but have not received any amountafter a full year of service. They have now appealed for equal treatment on par with Indian medical graduates.
Expressing disappointment, FMGs have demanded equal and rightful stipends for the work they performed on par with their Indian counterparts. The graduates have claimed that they were given assurances of a timely stipend during their internship, but as months passed, no payments were made. Like this, a full year has gone by, yet they remain unpaid.
The issue came to light after an FMG raised the matter with the United Doctors Front Association (UDF). He alleged that he had joined the internship in May 2024 and completed it this year, but neither he nor his peers received their stipend. Frustrated, they filed complaints but were ultimately turned down by the government.
Ajit Kumar Singh, an FMG intern, filed a grievance on the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) on May 31, 2025, stating that the government medical colleges in the state were not paying stipends despite the NMC directive.
He pointed out that foreign graduates are required to work equally like Indian medical students while paying significantly higher registration fees around Rs 27,000 compared to just Rs 5,000 for Indian students. Despite this, he alleged that stipends have not been released.
NMC, in a circular dated March 4, 2022, had clarified that no amount or fee should be charged by medical colleges from FMGs for permitting them to do their internship. It also directed that the stipend and other facilities for FMGs should be equivalent to those provided to Indian Medical Graduates undergoing training in government medical colleges, as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution, university, or state.
He further argued that the Supreme Court had also ruled in favour of equal stipend for FMGs, but they were still being denied payment in Gujarat.
"The Supreme Court of India has ruled in favour of FMGs that we must be paid a stipend equally, so I request you to take note of this and smoothly start the process of providing stipend As of today, our internship is over, so I request u to give us a total of 12 months of Stipend together asap," read the complaint.
In response to the complaint, the Medical Education and Research Department, Gandhinagar, through a letter, stated that after a high-level meeting, it was decided that stipends cannot be given to FMG interns.
This decision has sparked disappointment among foreign medical graduates, who alleged that they complete the same duties as Indian interns but continue to face financial disadvantages.
Commenting on this, Dr Lakshya Mittal, Chairperson & National President of UDF told Medical Dialogues, "It is very unfortunate. Everything seems to be for illiterate politicians, corrupt officers, and loan-defaulter corporates. How can they deny FMGs their stipend? This is a clear violation of fundamental rights. FMGs and IMGs are young doctors who will go on to strengthen the pillars of Viksit Bharat. UDF is also planning to file a case in the appropriate court after deliberations with our team."
The matter was shared by the association on their official 'X' handle.
Also read- 'Gujarat Medical Council Denying Stipend Despite NMC Mandate!' - FMGs Cry Foul
