New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Gujarat government and other authorities on a petition alleging denial of stipend to foreign medical graduates (FMGs) undergoing internship in Gujarat.

The bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale issued notices while hearing a plea filed by the All India Parents Association Belarus Medical Students, which argued that withholding stipends violates statutory obligations and worsens the financial hardship of FMGs. The petition said many of these students have invested four to six years in their medical education abroad and now face demotivation due to administrative hurdles after returning to India for internship.

The plea further stated that FMGs perform duties equal to those of Indian medical graduates but bear all costs for food, accommodation and travel without any financial support. It also alleged that some interns were being coerced into signing undertakings that they would not claim stipend. Despite representations submitted to state authorities—including to the chief minister in April—no corrective action has been taken, the petition claimed.

The bench tagged the matter with other pending petitions raising similar concerns.

In its submissions, the petitioner highlighted that provisions for stipend are outlined in Clause 3 (Schedule IV) of the National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021. It added that the NMC had issued circulars in 2022 and 2023 reaffirming that FMGs are entitled to stipend at par with Indian medical graduates.

The plea has sought directions to ensure regular monthly stipend, with retrospective effect, for FMGs interning in institutions under the Gujarat Medical Council and the Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society.