The National Medical Commission’s (NMC) Postgraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) has said that any changes to regulations on the payment of stipends for medical trainees may require further discussions in accordance with the statutory procedure.
The comment assumes significance in the backdrop of the alleged disparity in the payment of stipends to medical interns in government and private medical colleges across the country. Public health activists and student unions say interns at private medical schools are paid less than their counterparts at state-run medical schools.
UGMEB director Ram Pratap’s remarks on February 18 were in response to Kannur-based ophthalmologist and RTI activist KV Babu’s letter to the Union health minister highlighting the “discriminatory clauses” regarding the payment of stipends in the 2021 rules for compulsory rotating medical internships. stipend in the regulations says that all interns will be paid a stipend “as determined by the competent authority in charge of the institution/university or state”. The stipend shall also not be paid during any period of extension except in cases of maternity or paternity leave or medical leave as may be recommended and approved by the Medical Board. The total stipend paid for the entire internship can only be for 52 weeks (12 months).
However, Mr. Pratap also says that the actual implementation, including the amount of scholarships, is done by the respective states/Union Territories in accordance with their financial capacity and budgetary provisions. The regulations were notified after discussions with the concerned authorities, experts and competent authorities assigned at the time of their formulation. Mr. Pratap points out that with this in mind, any change in regulations, if required, would “require assessment in accordance with due process” and “after due consultation with all concerned authorities”.
Dr. Babu told The Hindu that when the draft regulations were published in 2021, he informed the UGMEB that they were “very vague” and would give ample opportunity to private medical college managements to deny scholarship to MBBS trainees. “Unfortunately, the UGMEB published draft regulations without incorporating my comments, although this was the only response submitted to the issue. Now the MEP also agrees with my view that the current regulations are discriminatory. It is up to the UGMEB to amend them to prevent further exploitation of trainees,” he added.
Published – 21 Feb 2026 21:32 IST
