THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Supreme Court has stepped in to address the long-standing issue of fair stipends for MBBS students in private medical colleges. This intervention comes in response to a case involving the non-payment of stipends at Army College of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. The court directed the college to disburse stipends and also urged the National Medical Commission (NMC) to provide information on steps taken to resolve the matter.
This decision brings relief to students who have endured insufficient stipends during their house surgency period. Despite stipends being an integral part of clinical training, the counsel for the petitioners informed the court that nearly 70% of medical colleges across the country do not pay stipends or offer amounts well below the established stipend rate. This issue is not unique to Kerala.
Students have noted that stipend rates are determined by college authorities, and none of the private colleges provide stipends at par with government medical colleges. While students in government medical colleges receive around Rs 26,000, stipends in private colleges range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000. Some colleges pay stipends as low as Rs 1,500 after various deductions. Students have expressed their frustration, viewing this situation as a violation of their human rights.
“We have approached state and national authorities to address these disparities, but we have yet to witness concrete action. Many students hesitate to protest, fearing potential repercussions on their careers,” said a medical student.
It’s worth noting that the National Human Rights Commission had previously directed the NMC to conduct a nationwide survey, prompted by a complaint from a medical student in Kozhikode, on March 7, 2023.
Students from Kerala organised a campaign to maximise responses to the survey, which took place in May. However, the NMC has neither made the responses public nor provided a report on the actions taken regarding this issue.
NO STIPENDS IN 70% MCS