The National Medical Commission (NMC) has refused to share the details of private medical colleges that paid stipends to medical students and then took it back, according to an RTI.
"I had asked for names and lists of private medical colleges in India which give stipends to medical students and then the management took it back. I received the RTI reply today. In this reply, the NMC declined the information, saying that third-party information cannot be given under Section 8 of RTI Act, 2005," said Kerala-based RTI Activist Dr KV Babu.
The NMC surveyed undergraduates and postgraduate medical students in India as directed by the NHRC in the last week of April and the first week of May. NMC conducted the online survey in response to NHRC, which took up the matter following a complaint from a Kerala student that the stipend given to MBBS interns is inadequate and in violation of government order.
The NMC had informed the NHRC that they would submit a detailed survey report later.
In its advisory on payment of stipends to PG medical students on August 24, NMC said 7,901 PG students from 213 self-financed/private medical colleges spread across 19 states showed that 16 per cent of PG students have to return the stipend money to college management. However, it did not name the private medical colleges.
In his RTI on August 28, Dr Babu, an ophthalmologist based in Kanaur, asked the NMC to name the private medical colleges that paid stipends to 1,228 students, but the management took it back. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr Babu said, "It is clear from the public notice dated August 24 regarding the survey among PG docs that almost 8,000 PG doctors are not paid stipulated stipends. Of the total numbers, 1,228 PG doctors were paid stipends, but the management took it back."
"Those private medical colleges managements are cheating the NMC, students, and the public. Instead of disclosing their name on the website, the NMC is stonewalling the RTI applications. It is clear that the NMC is trying to protect the private medical college managements," he said.
Babu said he had also asked for copies of the notice issued by the NMC to the colleges that violated the regulations. "I had also asked for the status of the recognition of PG courses of those courses of the colleges. They should have at least shared the copies of the notice and action taken," he said.
What do regulations say?
As per Regulation 13 of Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 2000, "The Post Graduate students of the institutions which are located in various states/union territories shall be paid remuneration at par with the remuneration being paid to the postgraduate students of state government medical institutions/central government medical institutions, in the state/union territory in which the institution is located."
The NMC had also warned that they would take strict action for non-compliance with the provisions of the Regulations of PGMER, 2000 if any complaint is received in the future.
Case in court
The Supreme Court is also hearing the issue of payment of stipends to medical doctors.
On September 15, the apex court directed the NMC to respond to a complaint that 70 per cent of medical colleges do not pay any stipend or are not paying the minimum set stipend to doctors doing MBBS internships.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has directed the NMC to file a tabulated chart in its affidavit.
The issue of non-payment of stipends has also been taken up by various medical associations and bodies like the FAIMA Doctors Association (FAIMA) and the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA).
The NMC survey also showed that of the over 7,000 PG students, over 2,000 were not receiving stipends, while 4,288 said that the compensation being paid is not equal to the stipend being paid in government medical colleges.
The stipend for PG students varies from one state medical hospital to another. It ranges from Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 95,000. However, private medical hospitals pay PG students even less than Rs. 25,000, and some even produce them in instalments.
