NEW DELHI — In a major setback for thousands of undergraduate medical students across India, the Union Health Ministry and the National Medical Commission (NMC) appear to have backtracked on their commitment to ensure stipend parity between government and private medical college interns.
The Core Conflict
For years, medical students have fought for a “One Nation, One Stipend” policy, arguing that interns in private institutions perform the same clinical duties as those in government hospitals but often receive significantly less—or no—stipend.
- The Initial Move: In late 2025, following intense pressure from the Supreme Court, the Union Health Ministry had directed the NMC to amend the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021. The goal was to bring undergraduate pay in line with the Post-Graduate Medical Education (PGME) Regulations, which already mandate parity for resident doctors.
- The “U-Turn”: Recent communications from the Ministry of Health suggest a shift in stance. In a response to RTI activists, the Ministry stated that “no further action is required” by its section, effectively pushing the entire burden back onto the NMC’s Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB)—which is currently understaffed and missing a President.
Why the Policy has Stalled
Despite the Supreme Court slamming the NMC for “dragging its feet” and “sleeping in its slumber,” several factors have halted progress:
- Regulatory Vagueness: Current CRMI regulations state stipends are “fixed by the appropriate authority,” a loophole private colleges use to justify low payments.
- Institutional Resistance: Private and deemed medical colleges have lobbied against mandatory parity, citing a lack of government funding for their operations.
- Administrative Vacuum: The UGMEB’s failure to amend the regulations is being blamed on the high number of vacant posts within the Commission.
Impact on Students and Recent Penalties
While the policy for uniform pay has stalled, the NMC has begun taking punitive action against the most egregious offenders. In March 2026, the commission slapped a ₹1 crore penalty each on seven medical colleges for failing to disclose their stipend structures or for not paying interns at all.
However, activists like Dr. KV Babu argue that these fines are merely a distraction from the larger failure to legislate permanent pay parity. Currently, stipends continue to vary wildly across India, with some government interns receiving up to ₹30,000 per month while private counterparts remain uncompensated.
What’s Next for Medical Interns?
Student organizations like FAIMA and FORDA are reportedly planning fresh protests to demand that the government use its statutory authority to force the NMC to gazette the parity amendments. For now, the dream of “Equal Pay for Equal Work” remains in legal limbo.
