Stipend parity for MBBS interns: Health Ministry issues reminder to NMC
Kozhikode: To ensure that the MBBS interns studying in government and private medical colleges get the same stipend amount, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) had recently directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to examine the possibility of paying equal stipend to all the MBBS interns of a State or Union Territory.
In this regard, the Union Health Ministry has now sent a reminder notice to the Apex Medical Commission over incorporating changes in a provision in the regulations related to the payment of the stipend to undergraduate (UG) medical interns.
In the mail sent on December 15, NMC has been asked to examine the provisions in the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021, for the undergraduate medical students and the corresponding one in the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2023.
"This is a reminder with reference to the Ministry’s email dated 06.11.2025 (below), requesting the National Medical Commission to examine the issue raised by Dr. Babu K.V. regarding the provision of stipend to undergraduate interns under the CRMI Regulations, 2021, in light of the corresponding provisions under PGMER, 2023. An early response in the matter is requested," the Ministry mentioned in the mail addressed to NMC.
Section 5.4 of PGMER 2023 states that the PG medical students undergoing PG Degree/Diploma/Super-speciality courses in all the institutes in a State/UT shall be paid equal stipend.
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It states, "5.4 Stipend to Post-graduate Students: 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."
However, the provision of stipend for MBBS interns, as specified in the CRMI Regulations, 2021, states that the amount of stipend shall be fixed by either the institute/University or the State.
Clause 6.3 of the CRMI Regulations says that "STIPEND (a) All interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/ University or State." Therefore, the fate of MBBS interns at the private medical colleges across the country depended upon the management of private medical institutes.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that, highlighting the problems faced by the MBBS interns due to this rule, Health Activist Dr. KV Babu had urged the Health Ministry to withdraw the Gazette Notification dated 18th November 2021 regarding CRMI Regulations and gazette it again after incorporating the comments sent by him on 24th July 2021.
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 to include certain provisions in the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997.
As per the provisions, it was proposed that all the candidates pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which the MBBS course was completed, would 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.
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 and bring parity in the amount of stipend paid to the candidates from a State/UT pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which MBBS course was completed.
Taking note of the representations from Dr. Babu, the Ministry had earlier asked NMC to "examine the issue raised by Dr Babu KV regarding provision of stipend paid to undergraduate interns in CRMI Regulations, 2021 keeping in view similar provisions under PGMER, 2023." Now, the Health Ministry has sent a reminder notice to the Commission.
