The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Gujarat government and other authorities on a petition alleging that foreign medical graduates (FMGs) interning in Gujarat are being denied the stipend they are legally entitled to.
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B. Varale agreed to examine the petition filed by the All India Parents Association Belarus Medical Students. The court issued notices to the NMC and the state authorities and tagged the matter with similar pending petitions.
The petition, filed through advocate Tanvi Dubey, argues that withholding stipends from FMG interns violates statutory obligations under the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021, particularly Clause 3, which mandates payment of stipends on par with Indian medical graduates.
The plea says FMGs spend 4–6 years abroad completing their medical education and return to India to fulfil mandatory internship requirements, only to face administrative hurdles that render their qualifications “of no use.”
The petition states:
- FMGs in Gujarat are being forced to bear all expenses — food, accommodation and travel — without any stipend.
- Some colleges allegedly coerce students into signing undertakings stating they will not claim stipends.
- The NMC has issued multiple circulars in 2022 and 2023, clearly stating that FMGs must receive stipends equal to Indian medical graduates.
- FMGs work identical duty hours and perform the same tasks as Indian interns, yet are singled out for non-payment.
According to the plea, the petitioner association submitted detailed representations to state authorities and even wrote to the Chief Minister in April. While the Chief Minister’s Office issued directions in June and July to the Health and Family Welfare Department seeking action, no corrective steps have been taken so far, the petition claims.
The association has sought:
- A direction for regular monthly stipends to all FMGs interning in institutions under the Gujarat Medical Council and the Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society.
- Payment with retrospective effect for the full duration of the internship.
The matter will now be heard alongside other petitions involving similar grievances regarding stipends for FMG interns.
