Why India’s Medical Interns Are Still Fighting for Their Rightful Stipend

In a country that takes immense pride in its doctors, it’s tragic that the healers of tomorrow are still struggling to earn what is rightfully theirs. The corridors of the Supreme Court echoed this truth once again as the battle for fair stipends for MBBS interns resurfaced. While patients rely on doctors as their first line of defense, the system that produces these doctors continues to underpay and undervalue them. This week, the Apex Court turned its sharp gaze toward the National Medical Commission (NMC), questioning its persistent inaction and calling out its failure to implement its own directive. The hearing left one haunting question in the air. If the nation cannot respect the hands that heal, how can it expect healthcare to survive?

The issue before the Supreme Court was straightforward, yet shamefully overdue. It concerned the non-payment of stipends to Indian and Foreign Medical Graduates currently undergoing their compulsory internship period across several medical colleges. These interns are not just students; they are frontline workers who spend over eighteen hours a day in wards, handling emergencies, monitoring patients, and performing duties that directly affect patient care. Their stipend is not charity it is compensation for the service they provide. But despite multiple court orders and regulatory notices, many colleges continue to withhold payments, exploiting the silent endurance of young doctors.

During the recent hearing, the Supreme Court bench, visibly dissatisfied, pulled up the National Medical Commission for its lethargic response. The judges reminded the NMC of its own circular issued in July 2025, which required every medical college in the country to publicly disclose stipend details. The circular was meant to bring transparency and accountability, to show which institutions were paying their interns, and which were not. Yet, months after the directive, there was no comprehensive data. The Commission, the very body responsible for upholding fairness in medical education, seemed to have lost sight of its own mandate.

The bench’s tone reflected deep frustration. It reminded the NMC that as far back as 2023, the Supreme Court had issued similar directions. The Court had then asked the Commission to produce a list of colleges paying stipends and those defaulting. Two years later, the same matter continues to circle the judiciary. The delay, the Court observed, reflects a worrying apathy towards the country’s medical workforce. With the 2025 circular still largely unimplemented, the bench granted NMC a final two weeks to file a compliance affidavit. If the Commission fails again, the Court warned, binding directions would follow i.e. a stern signal that the patience of the judiciary is running out.

Advocate Tanvi Dubey, representing several doctors, gave a voice to the interns who have been unheard for years. She reminded the Court that doctors are the backbone of the healthcare system who, even as trainees, bear enormous responsibility. Working beyond 18 hours a day, many without proper rest or resources, these young doctors continue to deliver life-saving care. Yet their most basic expectation, a fair stipend, remains unmet. Dubey emphasized that some petitions have been pending for over two years. The interns who filed those cases have already completed their course and graduated, but the injustice persists for new batches who now find themselves in the same position. It is a vicious cycle that refuses to break.

Another voice that echoed through the courtroom was that of Advocate Dr. Charu Mathur, legal advisor for the United Doctors Front. She raised a critical issue that has long been ignored that the disparity between Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs) and Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs). Despite performing identical duties, FMGs are often treated unequally when it comes to stipend payments. Dr. Mathur highlighted the national call for “One Nation, One Stipend,” a demand that resonates deeply within the medical community. Equal work must mean equal pay. Anything less is discrimination. The bench acknowledged the gravity of her submissions and expressed clear displeasure over the continued inequality, warning that inaction would invite stricter judicial intervention.

The story of unpaid stipends is not confined to a few colleges. According to a report presented earlier by counsel Advocate Vaibhav Gagghar, around 70 percent of medical colleges in India are not paying their interns as per norms. This statistic alone is alarming for a country that aims to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure and retain its medical talent. The issue is not of funds alone; it is about systemic neglect and lack of enforcement. When institutions affiliated with reputed universities disregard the directives of both the NMC and the Supreme Court, it reveals a structural failure that goes far deeper.

The situation at the Army College of Medical Sciences (ACMS), affiliated with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, stands as an example of how long justice takes to reach young doctors. In 2023, a group of five MBBS students from ACMS approached the Supreme Court, seeking stipend payments for their internship period. The Court, in its wisdom, directed the college to pay ₹25,000 per month to its interns starting October 2023. It was a moment of relief, but only for a few. Even then, implementation was slow and uneven. By August 2025, the Court had to step in again, ordering the college to clear arrears for the 2022 batch, a clear indication that compliance had been half-hearted. How many times must doctors knock at the doors of justice to be heard?

As the Supreme Court reviewed the matter once more, the words of the bench carried weight and warning. The judges observed that the conduct of the NMC “requires to be deprecated,” as stipend-related issues have lingered for far too long. They pointed out that despite repeated court directives, the Commission appears to be dragging its feet “without any serious consideration.” The Court’s observation that the NMC must “get up from its slumber” was a sharp indictment of bureaucratic inaction. The bench instructed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to oversee NMC’s compliance, ensuring that the Commission files a detailed affidavit with a list of all medical institutions that have published stipend details as per its July circular. The message was clear: excuses will no longer be entertained.

Behind these legal developments lie the untold realities of thousands of medical interns across India. These are young professionals working tirelessly in emergency rooms, maternity wards, ICUs, and rural health centers. They draw blood, administer injections, manage deliveries, and stand by dying patients all while struggling to make ends meet. For many, the stipend is their only source of income during internship, covering rent, food, and travel. When institutions deny them this modest support, it isn’t just financial injustice; it is psychological demoralization. It sends a message that their labor is undervalued, their contribution invisible.

What makes the issue even more disheartening is the silence of many colleges. Despite official circulars and judicial scrutiny, numerous institutions continue to ignore regulations. Their websites remain devoid of stipend disclosures, and their managements provide no clarity to students. Such opacity violates the spirit of medical ethics itself, a field built on trust and responsibility. If the institutions training doctors fail to practice fairness, how can they preach compassion?

The Supreme Court’s firm stance this time could mark a turning point, provided it leads to concrete action. For the NMC, this is more than just a matter of compliance; it is a test of credibility. As the country’s top medical regulatory body, it carries the moral and administrative responsibility to safeguard the interests of medical trainees. By allowing stipend disputes to drag on for years, it risks losing the confidence of the very community it is meant to protect. The two-week deadline granted by the Court must therefore be treated as a final call for accountability.

Doctors have always been the backbone of India’s healthcare system, standing resilient through pandemics, resource shortages, and overwhelming patient loads. But resilience should not be mistaken for endurance of injustice. The interns who form the future of Indian medicine deserve dignity in their training years. They deserve timely stipends, proper working conditions, and respect for their labor. Their demand is not extraordinary it is the bare minimum.

The legal battle over unpaid stipends is a mirror reflecting the wider cracks in India’s medical education framework. It highlights how easily administrative delays and bureaucratic indifference can erode the morale of young professionals. The outcome of this case will send a strong message across all institutions that the era of exploitation under the guise of training must end. The Supreme Court’s watchful eye offers hope that justice, though delayed, may finally be delivered.

As the healthcare landscape evolves, India cannot afford to disillusion its young doctors. Every intern denied a stipend represents a missed opportunity, a loss of motivation, a dent in trust. When the next batch walks into the hospital corridors, stethoscope around the neck and hope in their eyes, they shouldn’t have to fight for something as basic as fair pay. They should be free to focus on what truly matters i.e. healing others.

The Court’s words were stern yet necessary: “We hope and trust the NMC would get up from its slumber.” For once, the doctors who tirelessly wake the world to life now await the awakening of the system meant to protect them.

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