Supreme Court Orders Equal Stipends For Foreign and Indian Medical Graduates

A two-judge bench passed the order to pay an equal stipend to foreign graduates. The bench instructed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to furnish details regarding stipend payments and issue a warning to colleges if they failed to comply with the judgement. 

The Supreme Court of India has notified that foreign medical graduates cannot be treated differently and must be paid an equal stipend during their internships in India. The panel further said that the current sentiment in the country regarding Foreign Medical Graduates needs overhauling.

This issue came to notice after hearing a plea from a group of doctors. As per them, some medical colleges do not offer stipends to foreign medical graduates during their internships. 

A two-judge bench made the statement of equal payment to both Indian and foreign medical students during internships and instructed the National Medical Committee (NMC) to take necessary actions regarding stipend payments. 

The bench specifically asked to audit Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College, Vidisha, Employees State Insurance Corporation Medical College, Alwar and Dr Laxminarayan Pandey Government Medical College, Ratlam. 

The bench emphasised the necessity of equal stipend payment and mentioned strict actions shall be taken against those who failed to comply as per the judgement. 

"The medical colleges cannot treat MBBS and foreign medical graduates differently," the bench said and asked the NMC and the medical colleges to get back on this issue. 

Further, the court stated that NMC and related bodies shall make sure that students receive the stipend for the entire internship period. Those students are currently doing their internship at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College in Vidisha. As reported by NDTV. 

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