After threatening penal action against medical colleges that did not pay stipend to MBBS interns or doctors doing post graduate training, National Medical Commission (NMC), has done an about-turn saying that it is up to state authorities to take action. However, the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations 2023 gazetted in Sept 2023, give the NMC vast powers to penalise medical colleges monetarily, or by withholding accreditation, or by reducing seats.
In Jan 2024, in response to an RTI application NMC refused to share details of what action was taken against the offending colleges claiming that the matter was sub judice. However, in response to yet another RTI application on the same issue, on Tuesday it stated that “NMC is the regulatory body which issues guidelines, regulations from time to time. The implementation of the guidelines /instruction/advisory is solely at the discretion of the concerned state authorities under which the medical college/institute is located”.
On Aug 11, 2023, the NMC issued an advisory on payment of stipend to PG medical students directing all private colleges to pay stipend in keeping with the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation 2000. “All the self-financed/private medical colleges are warned that NMC will take strict action for non-compliance of the provisions of the Regulations of PGMER, 2000, if any complaint is received in the future,” stated the advisory. Supreme Court has ruled in 2022 and 2023 in favour of students stating that stipend has to be paid by govt and private medical colleges.
On Nov 28, 2024, NMC issued a show cause notice to 198 colleges (115 govt and 83 private ones) for not submitting details of stipend paid to undergraduate interns, postgraduate residents, senior residents and postgraduates in super specialty courses, as directed through a public notice issued in April 2024. This notice was issued on the direction of SC. The court asked NMC to submit the details of stipend paid to interns and residents in all colleges. The NMC threatened penal action against colleges for their failure to submit the required information.
“The NMC is being evasive regarding the action taken against the medical colleges stating it is the discretion of state authorities It is clear that the NMC is solely responsible for non-compliance of regulations by private medical colleges regarding payment of stipend,” said Dr KV Babu, an ophthalmologist and RTI activist who filed the request seeking details of the action taken against the colleges.
The Aug 2023 advisory was issued by NMC following an online survey among undergraduate and post graduate students in private medical colleges which revealed that hundreds of colleges were not paying stipend equal to that being paid in govt colleges as stipulated. Thousands of students also stated that they were not receiving any stipend. Shockingly, 1,228 students informed NMC that the stipend given was taken back by the college management.