The Supreme Court on Monday, May 6, sought a response from the National Medical Commission (NMC) on a plea that challenges the non-payment of stipends to Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) interning in Indian hospitals and medical institutions.
A bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K. Vinod Chandran took up the matter concerning FMGs interning at Mahaveer Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal. The Court issued notices to the NMC, the State of Madhya Pradesh, the concerned medical college, and the Directorate of Medical Education and Health Services.
The petition highlights a serious concern: FMGs are working the same duty hours as Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs), but unlike their Indian counterparts, they are not being paid any stipend.
“The lack of stipend is arbitrary and unfair,” argued Advocate Tanvi Dubey, representing the petitioner. She emphasized that most FMGs are covering all their living expenses—food, rent, travel, and other costs—entirely out of their own pocket. Many of them are not local residents and thus face additional financial burdens.
“FMGs from different medical colleges are receiving stipends, but this is not being followed uniformly. Those at Mahaveer Institute are forced to complete their internship without any financial support,” the plea states.
The petition further adds that FMGs typically spend around ₹17,500 per month on basic living expenses during their internship. Despite this, they are still not being compensated, putting them in a difficult financial position.
The plea draws attention to Clause 3 (Schedule IV) of the National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021, which clearly states:
"(a) All interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/ University or State.
(b) Stipend may not be paid during any period of extension except in the case of maternity or paternity leave or medical leave, as may be recommended and approved by the Medical Board."
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It also refers to two official circulars issued by the NMC on March 4, 2022 and May 19, 2022, which explicitly state that stipends should be provided to FMGs at par with Indian Medical Graduates.
The petitioner has requested the Court to issue clear directions to the respondent hospital to decide the stipend amount for FMGs and ensure that payments are made on a regular basis.
“This is a catch-22 situation for FMGs, as they have no choice but to continue their internship despite the financial burden,” the petition mentions.
The Supreme Court has listed the matter for the next hearing in July.
Case Details : AKASH UDAYAKUMAR & ORS. VERSUS NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION &ORS | W.P.(C) No. 000397 / 2025
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