Directs colleges to adhere to guidelines on stipend
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Aug 25: In a recent online survey conducted by the National Medical Council (NMC), discrepancies in the payment of monthly stipends to Medical interns and students across the country have been brought to light.
The survey, carried out via Google Form, has raised concerns about the stipends being paid to Undergraduate Interns and Postgraduate Medical Students in self-financed and private Medical Colleges, exposing issues related to stipend distribution and non-compliance with existing regulations.
According to details issued by the NMC, a staggering total of 10,178 responses were collected from Postgraduate (PG) students, with a specific focus on those studying in private medical colleges.
Following the removal of irrelevant responses, duplicates, and feedback from students in Government Medical Colleges or other institutions, the NMC’s analysis centered on 7,901 responses from PG students in Private Medical Colleges. Moreover, there were over 2,200 responses from Government Medical Colleges and DNB hospitals.
The findings of the survey, as highlighted by the apex medical body, have unveiled several significant issues. These issues encompass stipend non-payment, a disparity in stipend amounts, and stipend retrieval by management.
Among the respondents, as per details shared by the NMC, a concerning 2,110 PG students from various private medical colleges reported that they were not receiving any stipend at all for their work.
Additionally, almost 4,288 students expressed dissatisfaction with the stipend amounts they were receiving, noting that the stipends were significantly lower than those offered in government medical colleges within their respective states.
The NMC also pointed out that the survey highlighted a distressing practice wherein 1,228 students who were indeed receiving stipends claimed that the stipends provided by their colleges or institutes were subsequently reclaimed by the management.
These revelations have prompted concerns and discussions regarding adherence to Regulation 13 of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 2000, which has undergone amendments over time.
This relevant regulation explicitly states that PG students in institutions located across states and Union Territories should receive remuneration at par with their counterparts in Government Medical Institutions within the same state or union territory.
Taking note of these findings, the NMC has directed all self-financed and private medical colleges to adhere to Regulation 13 of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 2000
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