Lok Sabha Question No. 2125 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-15
Subject: Payment of Stipend to MBBS Interns
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Kotagiri Sridhar

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2125 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15th December, 2023

## PAYMENTOFSTIPEND TO MBBS INTERNS

## 2125. SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI:

## Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken steps to ensure that the norms for payment of stipend to MBBS interns should be followed properly by the medical colleges across the country, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the Government is aware of the fact that a recent survey conducted by National Medical Commission has stated that about 70% of the private medical colleges across the country have not paid stipends to Under Graduate (UG) interns and Post Graduate (PG) medical students;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken by the Government to ensure proper/ timely payment of stipends to the medical students;
- (d) whether the Government is aware of the survey that around 16% of the private medical colleges have taken back the stipend disbursed to the students and if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) the details regarding the self-financed/private medical colleges which have paid/not paid stipends to the medical students ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a) to (e): As per National Medical Commission(NMC), detailed instructions to State Medical Councils and Directorates of Medical Education(DME) of all State Government/UTs have been issued for payment of stipend to all interns. The amount of stipend to be paid is fixed/decided

by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University/State. The implementation of the instructions is solely at the discretion of the concerned State authority under which the medical college/institute is located. The details of self financed/private medical colleges which have paid/not paid stipends to the medical colleges are not maintained centrally.

As regards the Post Graduate(PG) Medical Students, NMC has informed that under Clause 13.3 of PG Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2000, PG students shall be paid stipend at par with the stipend paid to the PG Students of State Government Medical Colleges/ Institutions/ Central Government Medical Institutions in the State/ Union Territory where the institution is located. NMC has conducted an online survey to ascertain the amount of stipend paid to PG students wherein it was found that 2,110 PG students out of 10,178 PG students who had responded, did not receive any stipend. These students were mainly from 28 colleges of 9 states. Hence, letters were sent to these 28 colleges for providing documentary evidence of paying of stipend. Further, 1,228 students had submitted that the Medical Colleges/ Institutions take back the stipend paid to them. An advisory dated 24.08.2023 was issued by NMC, directing all the self-financed/ private medical colleges to implement Clause 13.3 of the PGMER, 2000.

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