Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) interning in Gujarat find themselves caught in a relentless battle for their rightful stipends.
Despite a Supreme Court order mandating equal pay for FMGs and Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs) interns, the Gujarat Medical Council (GMC) continues to deny payments, leaving interns frustrated, overworked, and financially strained, they claim.
The issue was highlighted by the All FMGs Association (AFA) on X, revealing that the Gujarat Medical Council has ignored the National Medical Commission (NMC) directive to pay stipends to FMGs. Additionally, the council reportedly demanded Rs 1 lakh from non-domicile interns, a requirement not outlined in NMC guidelines.
Repeated pleas, no action
For FMG interns, the fight for stipends is not just about money but about basic respect and equality in the system.
Dr Dushyant Barot, National Vice-President of Internal Affairs at All India Medical Students Association - Foreign Medical Students Wing (AIMSA-FMSW), highlighted the persistent struggle FMG interns face.
“Despite multiple meetings with the GMC, no stipend is being provided. A few colleges briefly paid interns but then stopped. We have approached the council, but there has been no action. We are trying to meet authorities and pressurise them so that students don’t suffer, yet FMGs keep struggling — not just in Gujarat, but across India,” Dr Barot stated.
Financial manipulation and unfair practices
The situation on the ground paints a grim picture.
An FMG intern in Gujarat, speaking anonymously out of fear of repercussions, described how institutions not only deny stipends but also manipulate financial records.
“The workload we handle is equal to that of Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs), yet we are not compensated fairly. A few institutes officially show salaries of Rs 17,000 on paper for even nursing staff, but interns are forced to return Rs 7,000, effectively receiving only Rs 10,000. When we raise concerns, authorities ignore us or create bureaucratic hurdles. A few seniors tried to protest, but they were met with document-related obstructions,” the intern claimed.
Systemic discrimination against FMGs
Beyond non-payment, FMG interns say they face systemic discrimination in hospitals.
“In many places, FMG interns end up covering extra shifts without any additional support, while IMG interns often pass on their duties to us. Hospital administrations manipulate duty schedules to favour IMGs, increasing the burden on FMG interns,” the intern alleged and added, “Every year, students fight, but after months of struggle, they give up, and the cycle repeats with new interns facing the same exploitation.”
Dr Anushka, another FMG intern in Gujarat, echoed similar concerns.
“Initially, we were told that we would receive Rs 18,500, but that has not been the reality. Now, we are left in a situation where we don’t know if we will get anything at all. The discrimination is clear — IMGs have a proper portal to receive their stipends, but for FMGs, there is always some excuse or delay,” Dr Anushka stated.
Broken promises and bureaucratic delays
Anushka described how promises of payment turned into indefinite delays.
“Authorities keep saying notices will come, processes are in motion, but in reality, nothing changes. The hospital administration tells us that they are allowing us to do our internship here as if that itself is a favour. But what about our rights? We provide patient care and handle responsibilities, yet our efforts are not recognised financially,” she claims.
Efforts to escalate the issue to politicians and governing bodies have yielded no results.
“A letter was sent to the Gujarat Chief Minister through a politician, but no concrete action was taken. Even when the issue was raised with the Education Ministry and BJP leader JP Nadda, all we got was another assurance that ‘They will see,’” she added.
The consequences of government inaction
The delays and bureaucratic hurdles have tangible consequences for FMG interns.
“Institutions even delay releasing completion certificates, making it impossible for us to protest beyond a point,” Dr Anushka explained and added, “We are being exploited, and it is frustrating. The authorities keep forwarding our requests, but there is never a clear answer from the higher-ups. It feels like no one cares about our struggles.”
With no enforcement of the Supreme Court order, FMG interns claim that they remain trapped in an exploitative system.
“If Supreme Court rulings are being disregarded, where else can we seek justice?” the anonymous intern asked and added, “It feels like we are stuck in a system where authorities make empty promises while our concerns remain unheard.”
