Nagpur, India- The Maharashtra Government’s Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has told all private medical colleges in the state to pay interns a monthly stipend of Rs 18,000, following government rules. This decision came after a hearing at the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, where 13 medical students filed a petition about unequal stipends for medical interns. The DMER has also asked for stipend reports from each college.

The petitioners, represented by lawyer Ashwin Deshpande, challenged the difference in stipends during the Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) in private medical colleges. Judges Nitin Sambre and Abhay Mantri issued a notice to the Government. The petitioners, led by Ayush Pawade, argued that although they perform similar duties as interns in government medical colleges, they receive much lower stipends. The petition pointed out that government interns get Rs 18,000 per month as per a recent resolution (dated February 27, 2024), while private college interns get as little as Rs 4,000 per month. The petitioners believe this is unfair and discriminatory, given that the internship is mandatory for medical certification.

They cited the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and its regulations, arguing that stipends should be the same for all public or private institutions. The court directed notices to the State of Maharashtra through its Medical Education and Drugs Department, the Government of India through the National Medical Commission, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, the Fees Regulating Authority, and the Dean of N.K.P. Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre.

These respondents must reply by August 8, 2024. The petitioners also mentioned that the Supreme Court issued an interim order requiring the college in the petition to pay each intern a stipend of Rs 25,000 per month. The Supreme Court stressed that interns must be paid during their internship and that the National Medical Commission’s regulations must be followed. Therefore, the petitioners argue they should also receive a fair and higher stipend based on the Supreme Court's order.

Maharashtra's DMER orders private medical colleges to pay interns Rs 18,000 per month, following a Nagpur High Court hearing.