New Delhi: The Supreme Court has strongly criticized the National Medical Commission (NMC) over its failure to ensure that medical colleges pay stipends to MBBS interns. While hearing a batch of petitions filed by Indian and foreign medical graduates, the Apex Court observed that the NMC had not complied with its own directive issued in July 2025, which required all medical colleges to disclose stipend details.
NMC Directed to File Compliance Affidavit
The bench granted the NMC two weeks to file a detailed compliance affidavit and warned that any further delay could lead to binding directions. The Court remarked that the NMC appeared to be “dragging its feet” on the issue and directed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to monitor the Commission’s actions.
Court Notes Non-Compliance by Colleges
During the hearing, NMC’s counsel Advocate Shashank Manish produced the July 11, 2025 circular directing all colleges to report stipend details. The Court, however, noted that most institutions had ignored this directive and reminded the NMC that it was duty-bound to enforce its own orders.
Earlier Orders Ignored for Two Years
The bench recalled that in 2023, the Supreme Court had already directed the NMC to furnish a list of medical colleges paying or denying stipends to MBBS interns. Despite the passage of two years, and months since the 2025 notification, compliance remains incomplete, the Court observed.
Intern Doctors Working Without Pay
Advocate Tanvi Dubey, representing several petitioning doctors, argued that MBBS interns are being exploited by medical colleges. “These doctors work for more than 18 hours a day, and the stipend is the least they expect,” she said, adding that some petitions have been pending for years, and fresh batches of doctors continue to suffer.
Demand for ‘One Nation, One Stipend’ Raised
UDF’s Legal Advisor and Advocate-on-Record, Dr. Charu Mathur, also appeared before the Court and emphasized the demand for “One Nation, One Stipend.” She said equal pay for equal work should apply to all medical graduates, whether Indian or foreign. The bench expressed its displeasure over the continued inequality in stipend practices across the country.
Court Warns of Strict Action
Expressing strong disapproval, the Court stated that “NMC seems to be dragging its feet without serious consideration.” The bench ordered the NMC to file an affidavit enclosing the list of colleges that have disclosed stipend details and directed the Ministry of Health to ensure compliance with the July 2025 circular.
Earlier ACMS Case Cited
The bench also referred to its earlier order in the Army College of Medical Sciences (ACMS) case, where the Court had directed the college to pay ₹25,000 per month to its interns and clear arrears. Despite this precedent, the NMC’s own report revealed that around 70 percent of medical colleges still do not pay stipends to their interns. The matter has been listed for further hearing after two weeks.
Summary: The Supreme Court’s stern observations and two-week deadline have once again brought the issue of unpaid medical interns into focus. The NMC and the Health Ministry now face increased pressure to ensure timely and uniform stipend payments across all medical institutions in the country.
