Telangana FMG interns protest demanding stipend parity
Hyderabad: The FMG Interns in Telangana are protesting for their demands for equal stipends with their colleagues, who have studied in medical colleges in India.
Even though the MBBS interns in Telangana normally get Rs 29,792 per month, allegedly, the FMG interns are denied equal payment. Videos of the protesting FMGs are circulating on social media, where they could be seen raising slogans saying "Equal Work, Equal Pay", "We are Interns, not free labourers".
Raising the issue, the All FMGs Association (AFA) mentioned in an Instagram post, "FMGs in Telangana are standing together and protesting for something that should never have required a struggle — their rightful internship stipend. After years of hard work, financial sacrifices and the challenge of clearing FMGE, these doctors are now serving patients during their mandatory internship. Yet many continue to face non-payment, delays and uncertainty over their stipend. They are working the same long hours, performing the same clinical duties and carrying the same responsibilities as other medical interns. Their struggle does not end after clearing FMGE — for many, another struggle begins during internship."
"This is not about special treatment. It is about equal treatment, dignity and timely payment," AFA added, further highlighting that the FMG interns also undergo the same internship, given the same duties, and same responsibilities and therefore, they should receive the same stipend as well.
The National Federation of FMG Doctors Forum also raised the issue. In an X post, the association wrote, "FMGs in Telangana are protesting for their rightful stipend. These doctors are working the same hours, performing the same duties and serving patients just like other medical interns, yet they are still being denied their stipend. FMGs are not asking for special treatment; they are demanding equal treatment. Pay FMGs their rightful stipend."
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the FMG interns in Rajasthan also initiated a protest demanding Rs 21,700 monthly stipend, along with arrears.
Parity with the Indian Medical Students regarding stipend payment during internship has been a long-standing demand of the medical graduates from abroad. While considering the issue of non-payment of stipend to MBBS interns, the Supreme Court sought the National Medical Commission's response to the delay in paying stipends to the foreign medical graduates from Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, and Jharkhand.
Observing that there cannot be any disparity between Indian and Foreign Medical Graduates, the Apex Court bench further said that it would pass comprehensive directions to ensure that all undergraduate medical students doing internships, whether they have pursued their education in India or abroad, are paid a stipend.
Further, the bench also expressed that it would also examine whether the State governments are required to appoint retired judges to deal with the issue of non-payment of stipends to interns.
