NEW DELHI: The centre appears to be backtracking from its earlier stand on bringing pay parity for all undergraduate medical interns, whether they are studying in government or private medical colleges.
Earlier, the Union Health Ministry had twice written to the National Medical Commission (NMC) on “examining” the issue of pay parity. The NMC, on its part, had also accepted that there is no stipend parity.
The next step was for the NMC to amend the key provision of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021 (CRMI Regulations 2021), which states that “all interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State.”
This provision contrasts with the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulation-2023, which makes no distinction between interns working in government or private medical colleges.
However, within months, the ministry has taken a U-turn, even though the Supreme Court had slammed the medical regulatory body, saying that it is “dragging its feet without any serious concern” on non-payment of stipend to interns and had urged it to “wake up from its slumber and take appropriate steps” in its October 28 order.
After showing keenness over the issue, in its RTI reply, the Medical Education Policy Section (MEP) under the Union Health Ministry said, “The National Medical Commission (NMC) is the apex statutory body constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, for regulating medical education and profession in the country. All matters relating to framing, amendment, and implementation of medical education regulations fall within the domain of NMC.”
“Therefore, in view of the above, no further action is required to be taken by the MEP Section in the matter, as the subject falls within the domain of the National Medical Commission (NMC)," said the April 2 response to Kerala-based RTI activist, Dr KV Babu when he reminded the ministry on the action NMC has taken to its directions on pay parity.
Speaking with this paper, Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the twin issue of non-payment of stipends to interns and pay parity, said, “The issue of stipend parity has been pending with the NMC and government for almost five years.”
“Though following the SC order, the government took a proactive decision to amend CRMI regulations in line with PGME regulations, the nominated, almost vacant, UGMEB is not inclined to amend the regulations for stipend parity even after harsh criticism from the SC and the communications from the government.”
“It should be noted that though the government have the authority to direct the NMC/UGMEB to amend the regulations for stipend parity, they are absolving the responsibility, though they had no hesitation in directing the NMC to act on issues that suited them earlier,” he said.
“It should be presumed that the government and the nominated vacant UGMEB are hand in glove in denying stipend parity to the hapless interns," Dr Babu added.
Interestingly, the NMC’s Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), which determines undergraduate medical education standards, is without a president. The issue of 19 posts being vacant at NMC, out of the 54 sanctioned strength, was also highlighted in the Parliament.
In its February 18 response to the ministry’s reminders, NMC had said that “any amendment to the CRMI Regulations, 2021, if required, would need consideration in accordance with the statutory process and after due consultation with all concerned authorities.”
However, the NMC continued to sit on the issue, and the ministry also took a U-turn on the matter, which has been agitating medical students and also taken up by various associations, such as FAIMA and FORDA.