New Delhi: The Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra issued notice on pleas seeking regular monthly stipend for foreign medical graduates (FMGs) pursuing compulsory internships at different government medical colleges, teaching and non-teaching institutes in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. The petition pleaded that many FMGs interns availed education loan for their graduation and their regular EMI payments are also due. Therefore, it is thoroughly impossible for them to meet educational expenses and other day-to-day expenses. In support of the reliefs sought, the petitioners lay emphasis on NMC’s circulars dated 4th March 2022, 19th May 2022 and 9th May 2023, wherein it is mentioned that the stipend to the FMGs should be extended equivalent to Indian Medical Graduates.
The petitioners FMGs and an Association representing FMGs in their petition have relied on Clause 3 (Schedule IV) of the National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021 to aver that FMGs are entitled to a regular stipend. They claim that since March 2024-June 2024, when the petitioner-FMGs commenced their year-long compulsory internships, they have had to take care of their daily expenses. Claiming that the respondents’ act of withholding stipends is unjust and arbitrary, the petitioners assail the artificial divide created between them and doctors from other colleges, and assert that stipend should be extended to FMGs at par with Indian Medical Graduates.