Illegal for medical colleges to not pay stipends to MD and MS students: NMC

On Monday, the National Medical Commission (NMC) said it is illegal for medical colleges to not pay stipends and withhold documents of MD and MS students after availing of their services even after their term got over.

The NMC said this after it received many complaints from students that many medical colleges are refusing to pay the stipend after their service term is over and are also not relieving them. The allegation is also that the colleges are withholding their documents.

"Unfortunately, we have received many complaints from students that many institutes are refusing to pay the stipend after their term is over and are also not relieving them. They are holding their documents. This is illegal. Hence this advisory is being issued," NMC said.

The NMC Post-graduate Medical Education Board has said that wherever the exams are conducted and results declared, successful DM/M.Ch and MD/MS candidates must be designated as assistant professors and senior residents respectively and be paid accordingly.

In colleges, where examinations are not yet over, the postgraduate students should be paid the stipend till their services were availed.

The advisory said that for the last one-and-a-half year, the pandemic has disrupted the examination schedules of medical education in India. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam was postponed, and this has put a lot of stress on medical students. It also delayed the arrival of a fresh batch of post-graduate students.

In the Covid-19 induced scenario, many universities could not hold the examination for final year post-graduate students. NMC had issued an advisory that the colleges must use services of MD/MS students who had finished their term of three years, till the arrival of a fresh batch of students. NMC advisory clearly mentioned that the students must be paid stipend and hostel facilities should be continued.

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