Uniform stipend policy across India may not be feasible, but no MBBS intern should be denied pay: NMC official
New Delhi: Although it may not be feasible to implement a uniform stipend policy for the interns, none of the medicos, whether they have pursued their education in India or abroad, should be denied a stipend for the period of Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI), a top official in the National Medical Commission (NMC) told Medical Dialogues.
The NMC official further mentioned that there should be parity in the stipend amount within a particular State or Union Territory, adding that the existing regulatory framework already provides a clear direction regarding this.
Demands for a Uniform Stipend Policy for the medical interns across the country have been long pending. Earlier, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) had directed NMC to examine the possibility of paying an equal stipend to all the MBBS interns of a State or Union Territory. The issue of stipend payment to intern doctors is also being considered by the Supreme Court, which recently observed that there cannot be any disparity between Indian and Foreign Medical Graduates.
Meanwhile, a top official in the NMC expressed doubts regarding the feasibility of a uniform stipend policy across the country, while clarifying that no medical student should be denied a stipend during the period of internship.
"Implementing a uniform stipend policy across India may not be feasible, given the significant variations in financial allocations, budgetary provisions and cost of living across States and Union Territories. The fiscal capacity and prevailing economic conditions differ from one State to another. Therefore, a “one-size-fits-all” approach may not be appropriate; the policy must recognise the realities and resources available at the State level," the NMC official told Medical Dialogues.
"However, the fundamental principle must be clear: no medical graduate should be denied a stipend for the period of compulsory internship. This principle should apply equally to a Foreign Medical Graduate undertaking an internship and to a medical graduate trained in India. At the same time, within a particular State or Union Territory, there should be parity and fairness. Whatever stipend is determined by the State should be applied uniformly to all eligible medical graduates undertaking internship in that State, without discrimination based on whether they graduated in India or abroad," the official further added.
Stressing that the goal should be "uniformity of principle, rather than uniformity of amount", the NMC official further mentioned, "The existing regulatory framework already provides clear direction in this regard. The National Medical Commission has issued guidelines to the States emphasising that no eligible intern should be denied a stipend. The objective, therefore, should be to ensure effective implementation of this principle while allowing States the flexibility to determine the stipend in accordance with their financial capacity and local circumstances."
"The goal should be uniformity of principle, rather than uniformity of amount: every intern should have the right to a stipend, while the quantum may reasonably vary from State to State," said the official.
Background:
The provision of stipend for MBBS interns, as specified in the CRMI Regulations, 2021, states that the amount of the stipend for the MBBS interns 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.
Taking cognisance of the issue of stipend disparity, the Supreme Court, in its order dated October 28, 2025, questioned the NMC for delaying action on stipend-related issues and directed it to take appropriate steps. The Court had also asked the Ministry to ensure compliance.
In November and December 2025, the MEP section of the Ministry had asked the NMC to examine the issue of stipend provisions for undergraduate interns under CRMI Regulations, 2021, keeping in view similar provisions in PGMER Regulations, 2023. However, in its reply dated February 18, 2026, the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) under NMC noted that any amendment to the existing rule would require a statutory process.
Meanwhile, the Ministry had earlier stated that NMC, being the Apex statutory body for regulating medical education and profession in the country, all matters relating to framing, amendment, and implementation of medical education regulations fall within the domain of NMC.
The provisions of uniform stipend within a State/UT is available for the postgraduate resident doctors. As per Section 5.4 of PGMER 2023, the PG medical students undergoing PG Degree/Diploma/Super-speciality courses in all the institutes in a State/UT shall be paid equal stipend.
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."
