A Call for Uniform and Just Policy on MBBS Intern Stipend in Uttar Pradesh
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Overview
The Indian Medical Association – Medical Students Network (IMA-MSN), Uttar Pradesh, has raised a serious and long-overdue concern regarding the discrepancies and inadequacies in the stipend policy for MBBS interns across the state’s medical colleges.
In light of a recent notice issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on 16th April 2024—mandating all medical colleges to submit data on stipends paid to interns and resident doctors for the financial year 2023–24 and to publicly disclose the same monthly from 2024–25 onward—it has become crucial to address the prevailing inequalities.
Current Scenario in U.P.
Despite this progressive directive by the NMC, MBBS interns in Uttar Pradesh continue to face harsh and unequal conditions:
In Government Medical Colleges, the stipend is a meager ₹12,000 per month—one of the lowest across the nation.
In Private Medical Colleges, the amount ranges between ₹4,000 to ₹7,500, with some institutions not providing any stipend at all.
Delayed Payments: A staggering 84.9% of interns experience significant delays in stipend disbursement, often without justification.
Unjust Deductions: Several institutions withhold up to three months’ stipend under the pretext of “security,” despite no official rule supporting such practices.
Exploitative Fees: Some private colleges extract an extra installment or a so-called ‘5th fee’ during the internship year, an unjust burden on students.
Workload Without Limits: Interns are often made to work 24–36 hour shifts without regulated duty hours, adversely affecting their physical and mental health.
Legal and Constitutional Grounds
These practices clearly violate Article 16 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equal opportunity in matters of public employment. It is unjust for interns performing identical duties to receive widely varying stipends simply based on the college or state they are in.
Demands for Reforms
To ensure fairness, transparency, and dignity for medical interns, IMA-MSN UP proposes the following:
1. Increase Government Medical College Stipend to ₹30,000/month, aligning it with central institutions.
2. Implement the same stipend in Private Medical Colleges to ensure equity.
3. Guarantee Timely Payment of stipends; delay beyond 28 days should incur interest or penalty.
4. Prohibit Any Deductions under the name of security or otherwise.
5. Ban Additional Internship Fees in any form.
6. Ensure Safe Hostel Accommodation within the college campus.
7. Fix Duty Hours to a maximum of 12 hours per shift and mandate at least one weekly off.
8. Publish Stipend and Payment Details on college websites monthly for transparency.
9. Establish a State-Level Grievance Redressal System for interns to report and resolve stipend-related issues promptly.
Delegation Meets with State Leadership
To press these concerns, a delegation led by Dr. Aman Priya Singh, Dr. Vivek, Dr. Prateek, Dr. Chirag Gupta, and Dhiraj Kumar—along with representatives from GSVM Medical College (Dr. Arun Gaur, Dr. Lalit Kumar, Dr. Karan, Dr. Rahul Chak, Dr. Sumit Kadiyan, Dr. Rahul Kumar) and King George Medical College (Dr. Surya Pratap Singh, Dr. Vijendra Sharma, Dr. Vijendra Maurya, Dr. Priyanshu Sachan, Dr. Naroj Manjhi)—met Shri Brajesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister and Cabinet Minister of Medical Education, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
During this meeting, it was emphasized that despite Uttar Pradesh being the most populous state with a heavy patient load, it offers the lowest stipend to its medical interns. The team strongly advocated that this injustice must be addressed by aligning the state’s policy with national standards.
The Medical Bulletin
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