SC directs the National Medical Commission (NMC) to submit details regarding the stipend status of medical colleges across all states within four weeks from April 01, 2024

In a recent order, the Supreme Court (SC) of India directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to submit details regarding the stipend status of medical colleges across all states within four weeks from April 01, 2024. The two-judge bench of the SC was hearing a matter related to the payment of stipends for doctors undergoing their MBBS internships. During the proceedings, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Prasanna B. Varale noted that the information given by the NMC did not include the details of entire medical colleges in the country, and hence, the previous direction of the top court dated September 15, 2023, was not completely followed. 

In the previous direction (September 15, 2023), the SC asked the NMC to file a tabulated chart and explain whether it is true that 70% of the medical colleges in all states of the country do not pay stipends to interns or pay an amount that is less than the minimum set stipend and what steps the NMC is taking to ensure compliance with the norm of paying internship stipend.

As the top court bench noted that the NMC had not given the complete details, it directed them to do the same within 4 weeks. The order reads, “The details which have been given by the National Medical Commission is not of the entire medical colleges in the States and therefore, the direction given by this Court in its order dated 15.09. 2023 at para 10 had not been complied with. Let the same be done positively within a period of four weeks from today (April 01, 2024).” The matter was further listed for hearing on May 06, 2024.