MBBS interns seek uniform stipend policy as amounts vary wildly and private medical colleges underpay

Farhan Bashir, a fourth-year MBBS student at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, will begin his medical internship next month, doing the same clinical work as his peers across India. He will earn roughly around Rs 12,000 stipend – an amount set seven years ago, and untouched since. “In many other states, MBBS interns receive Rs 30,000 - 40,000,” he said.

Bashir’s situation is not an exception. MBBS interns across India have reported wide disparities in medical stipends, delayed payments and administrative irregularities, pointing to the lack of a uniform system despite repeated calls for reform.

“One of the biggest issues with MBBS internship stipends in India is that there is no national framework deciding how much interns should be paid. The stipend varies drastically from college to college and state to state,” said Lakshya Jha, a resident doctor in Goa Medical College and Hospital.

Jha, who is also national vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), said the lack of uniformity reflects a deeper regulatory failure. “In some places, interns are paid less than what an entry-level contractual government employee earns.

MBBS Stipends: A map of disparity

Data from the National Medical Commission (NMC) shows wide variation in internship stipends across states. State government-prescribed stipends range from around Rs 12,000 in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to over Rs 40,000 in parts of West Bengal and Odisha. Maharashtra colleges mostly pay Rs 18,000 and the ones in Kerala around Rs 26,000.

The NMC data also highlights significant gaps between state benchmarks and actual payments in private medical colleges. In Maharashtra, several private colleges reported paying between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 despite the state-prescribed Rs 18,000. Similar discrepancies were found in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. In multiple cases, colleges either reported nil stipend, withheld data entirely, or stated that stipends were being paid only to foreign medical graduates (FMGs).

In March this year, the National Medical Commission (NMC) warned seven medical colleges of fines up to Rs 1 crore for not submitting required data on stipend payments for MBBS interns and resident doctors.

Jha added that the NMC had previously sought stipend data from medical colleges “but there has been no meaningful follow-up on it”. He also pointed to issues faced by FMGs, saying systemic inequities extended beyond Indian Medical graduates (IMGs).

“Until 2023, many FMGs were not paid stipends and in some cases were even made to pay fees for externship work. Only after court intervention did stipend payments begin in several institutions,” he said.

In a recent order, the Supreme Court held that foreign medical graduates are entitled to receive internship stipends on par with Indian medical graduates, reinforcing parity in payments during compulsory internships.

MBBS Internships: J-K frozen in time

Back in Srinagar, the numbers tell a particularly stark story. “In many other states, MBBS interns are paid much higher. Rs 12,000 is extremely inadequate given the workload and rising cost of living,” said Bashir.

A group of students recently met Jammu and Kashmir health minister Sakina Itoo and submitted a memorandum demanding a revision of the stipend to at least Rs 25,000.

According to the memorandum, a committee formed in June 2023 had recommended increasing the stipend from Rs 12,300 - 26,350. However, the proposal has been pending with the finance department since January 2024.

The memorandum also said that the matter has been pending despite several official meetings and communications between departments, and urged the state government to introduce a system for regular revision in line with NMC norms.

“This demand has existed for years. Even seniors who raised it earlier are now senior doctors, but there has been no meaningful revision in the stipend structure,” Bashir added.

Medical Stipends: The attendance factor

The problems are not confined to just the pay. An MBBS intern from a government medical college in Nanded, Maharashtra, who requested anonymity, said stipend disbursal is often irregular and that administrative practices related to attendance can directly affect payments.

The intern said payment schedules vary widely across colleges. “In some colleges, the first stipend comes after six months. In my college, payments are delayed by two months and then credited together, without a fixed schedule,” the intern said.

The intern also alleged that attendance records are not properly maintained. “We are often asked to sign attendance sheets later together instead of maintaining them daily. Later, students are told there is no proof of posting, which directly affects stipend payments,” he said.

He added that Maharashtra had seen discussions about revising intern stipends to around Rs 21,000, but the revised amount has not been implemented on the ground. “Interns are still receiving the old amount,” he said.

Students often avoid raising complaints due to fear of administrative consequences, as attendance records and completion certificates are controlled by the same institutions, he alleged. “If students raise issues, they worry it could affect their internship completion, documentation, or licensing process.”

MBBS Stipends: Private medical colleges

Srinath Dubyala, FAIMA national president, said irregularities are more severe in some private medical colleges, where payments are allegedly manipulated. “In several private colleges, stipend exploitation happens systematically. Official records show stipends are paid, but students are forced to return the money through pre-signed blank cheques,” he said.

Srinath said the lack of uniformity persists despite NEET being a national-level entrance system. “We have repeatedly demanded a national minimum stipend policy, inflation-linked revision, parity across states, direct benefit transfer systems, and punitive action for non-compliance,” he said.

An email has been sent in this regard to the NMC. The story will be updated if and when it responds.