SUBHASH MISHRA
New Delhi, Nov 29: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued notices to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and state government medical colleges over the non-payment of stipends to Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG).
The notice was issued on Friday, November 28, by a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Barale. The move follows a writ petition filed by the All India Parents Association of Belarus Medical Students, highlighting the prolonged delay despite multiple circulars sent to the NMC.
Court’s Earlier Directive Ignored
On February 24, 2025, the SC had directed the NMC and all medical colleges across the country to pay stipends to FMG interns at par with MBBS students.
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Many Indian students, who had been pursuing medical education in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, were forced to return to India in 2022 due to the Russia-Ukraine war before completing their internships.
The SC had ordered their placement in Indian medical colleges to complete internships, but the stipend payments for their hospital services remain pending.
Non-Payment in Jharkhand
In Jharkhand, medical colleges have also failed to pay stipends to FMG interns. A total of 59 FMG students were adjusted across six state institutions, including RIMS Ranchi, MGMMCH Jamshedpur, SNMMCH Dhanbad, PJMCH Dumka, SBMCH Hazaribagh, and MMCH Palamu.
Following the SC directive, the state’s Director of Medical Education instructed the principals and superintendents of these colleges on July 30, 2025, to submit detailed reports on stipend payments. While reports were reportedly sent to the state health department, the files have remained pending for over five months.
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FMG Students Consider Further Legal Action
A Foreign Medical Graduate who completed their internship stated that FMG students in Jharkhand are considering approaching the Supreme Court again to secure their stipend payments.
“We have provided our services in hospitals, and we are entitled to receive the honorarium as directed by the apex court,” an FMG said. Students are now awaiting action to ensure compliance with the SC’s earlier orders.
