Release internship stipend, pending arrears to FMG interns: Doctors' body urges Rajasthan DME
New Delhi: Coming in support of the protesting Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) interns in Rajasthan, a doctors' body has urged the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) to release the stipend dues along with pending arrears to eligible FMG interns undergoing Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) across the state.
The ongoing protest by the interns entered its seventh day today, with the medicos urging the concerned authorities to release their pending stipend in compliance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court recently directed the Rajasthan government to disburse the stipend to students within two weeks and warned that in case of non-compliance, the state secretary will be summoned to the court.
Along with the direction, the Apex Court also sought the National Medical Commission's response to the delay in paying stipends to foreign medical graduates from Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, and Jharkhand.
However, the interns refused to call off their protest and demanded a written assurance from the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) confirming compliance with the court's order.
FAIMA writes to DME
In a letter to the Director of Medical Education, Rajasthan, today (September 22), the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) said that several FMG interns in Rajasthan have reportedly not received the stipend despite performing regular clinical duties, emergency duties, ward responsibilities and patient-care services similar to those performed by IMG interns.
"FMG interns and IMG interns work in the same hospitals, perform comparable clinical duties and shoulder similar patient-care responsibilities. However, while IMG interns receive the stipend prescribed by the State/concerned institution, several FMG interns in Rajasthan have reportedly remained without stipend for prolonged periods. It has also been reported that, in certain instances, FMG interns have been asked to submit undertakings concerning waiver/non-payment of stipend. Such disparity between interns performing comparable duties requires immediate administrative intervention," the association said in the letter.
FAIMA requested the DME to issue an immediate written order directing all concerned medical colleges and hospitals in Rajasthan to pay eligible FMG interns' stipend at par with similarly placed IMG interns and release the current spend along with all admissible pending arrears from the respective dates of commencement of internship without further delay and within the timeframe stipulated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, wherever applicable.
The association also sought appropriate budgetary allocation for FMG internship spend so that lack of a separate financial sanction is not cited as a reason for withholding payment, that no FMG intern is compelled to sign an undertaking or declaration waiving spend, and review any such undertakings already obtained in light of applicable NMC directions and judicial orders and equal internship facilities and working conditions for FMG and IMG interns performing comparable CRMI duties.
Along with these demands, the doctors' body also demanded the establishment of a nodal mechanism at the DME level for time-bound resolution of complaints related to non-payment or delayed payment of FMG internship stipend.
FMG interns have cleared the prescribed qualifying requirements and are providing essential patient-care services while completing their mandatory CRMI. Prolonged withholding of their stipend places an unnecessary financial burden on young doctors working full-time in healthcare institutions, the association said.
Background
Medical Dialogues had reported that the medicos started their protest on September 16. They alleged that despite multiple assurances from the government, the issue continues to persist on the ground, even though the Supreme Court and the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued directions on stipend parity with Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs).
In previous judgments, the Supreme Court held that Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) undergoing internships are entitled to receive a stipend. In July 2025, while hearing a case involving FMGs at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the Court observed that a stipend is payable to FMGs during their medical internship and recorded AMU's undertaking to release the pending stipend from its own funds.
In February 2026, the Court again dealt with the issue in a case involving FMGs in Jharkhand and directed payment of the stipend at par with Indian Medical Graduates, observing that the FMGs could not be discriminated against in stipend payments.
Through Circulars/Public Notices dated 04.03.2022, 19.05.2022, and 07.12.2023, the National Medical Commission (NMC) clearly stated that FMGs undergoing Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship (CRMI) are entitled to receive a stipend, which is to be determined and disbursed by the respective State Government/State Authorities.
In July 2026, FAIMA representatives met Rajasthan DME officials and submitted copies of the Supreme Court judgment and NMC guidelines. DME officials reportedly said that proposals for FMG stipends had been sent for financial approval several times but had not been approved.
According to FAIMA, DME officials also stated that it had sought clarification from the NMC following the Supreme Court directions. The officials said that after receiving the NMC's response, the proposal would again be sent for financial clearance.
However, in Rajasthan, the issue has allegedly remained unresolved. As a result, the interns decided not to call off their protest unless the DME provides them with a written assurance on the implementation of the stipend payment.
