The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to release stipends within two weeks to 11 foreign medical graduates currently interning at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, a constituent unit of the university.
A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Arvind Kumar ordered the university to disburse the stipends from its own funds and clarified that no punitive action shall be taken against AMU by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for not obtaining prior approval for such disbursements.
The court was hearing a plea filed by 11 foreign medical graduates, including one Zabihullah, who alleged discrimination in stipend payments. The petitioners contended that while Indian medical graduates received stipends during their internships, similarly placed foreign graduates were denied the same despite performing identical duties as mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC) regulations.
Emphasizing the principle of equality, the bench held that all medical interns — whether trained in India or abroad — are entitled to stipends for their work.
During the hearing, AMU informed the court that it is in ongoing discussions with the Central Government and the UGC for additional funding support to cover stipends for foreign graduates in the future.
