‘A routine circus’: To get stipends, PG medical students lobby, move court

NEW DELHI: No matter who runs the medical college, stipends are a problem for postgraduate medical students. Despite orders from the medical education regulator, National Medical Commission (NMC) and state bodies, private medical colleges continue to underpay resident doctors or, more perfidiously, force them to return a part of the amount after paying to square things with the regulations.

In public medical colleges, too, stipends are often way below standards set by the state and delayed by months.

For a brief period during the COVID-19 pandemic, resident doctors were able to wrangle better pay for themselves. Several states raised the stipends paid to medical interns and residents. But problems with stipend for PG medical students in India have persisted. Now, the residents and their associations across the country are demanding a common policy.

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PG Medical Stipend: Private medical colleges

In early 2023, an NMC survey of close to 8,000 PG students revealed that 26% of students of private medical colleges were denied stipends and 42% said the amount was not at par with government colleges. Further, stipends of 1,228 students were taken back by the colleges.

In a private medical college in Udaipur, Rajasthan, resident doctors are receiving Rs. 20,000 as stipends – a quarter of what they are supposed to be paid. For junior residents, the stipends are supposed to be Rs. 80,000-82,000, Rs. 84,000 and Rs. 87,000 in the first, second and third years, respectively. Another private medical college, also in Udaipur, initially deposits the full stipend and then threatens residents into returning it, said a student, asking not to be named.

A similar instance was reported by Careers360 in Telangana in April 2023 and the problem still persists across private medical colleges in the state. Students in Medchal and Mahabubnagar, Telangana, said they haven’t received stipends for months.

“Despite multiple orders from the NMC and Telangana’s health ministry, no action has been taken yet,” said Bathula Venkata Durga Ashok, a first-year resident at a private medical college in Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, which has allegedly not paid stipends since September last year. He is now planning to sue.

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PG Medical Students Stipend: Government colleges

A third-year resident of a government medical college in Hyderabad said that private colleges take advantage of loopholes in the guidelines. “During NMC inspections, they ask for random resident’s bank statements to check if the colleges are crediting the stipends. So, colleges deposit the money at first to bring the transaction on paper, but later ask the residents to withdraw it through cheque and return it,” he explained. That said, his own stipend is delayed by months.

According to the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations 2023, “The postgraduate students of the institutions which are located in various states/union territories shall be paid remuneration being paid to the Post Graduate students of state government medical institutions/central government medical institutions, in the state/union territory in which the institution is located.”

But in many government colleges, too, the stipends are a fraction of what’s paid in government medical colleges. In Telangana, for example, residents are entitled to Rs. 58,000 as stipend for junior residency, senior residency Rs 62,000 and final year residents are supposed to receive Rs 67,000.

But in several colleges, both public and private, students are paid as little as Rs 12,000-20,000 per month, said a resident from a private medical college in Telangana.

Multiple representations from Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) to the state health minister, medical council, and directorate of medical education have fallen on deaf ears. “We have asked students to ultimately move to court and we will be filing the case in high court soon,” said Harsha Gandhi, president of T-JUDA.

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PG students threatened

According to some students, college administrations are threatening the residents. “Many students are afraid to speak against the stipend issue as they fear their degrees will get jeopardised. But the authorities will take the issue seriously only when more and more people speak up,” said Gandhi.

But few students do. In private medical colleges, 50% seats are under management quota where students secure admission by paying as much as Rs. 3-4 crore, amounts that only the most affluent families can afford.

Ashok explained: “Half of these students don’t ask for stipends because maybe they don’t need it. The rest who are in merit seats are threatened into not even mentioning it. Eventually, no one resists. If students ask for stipend, the colleges demand extra fees and credit the same amount in the students’ bank accounts.”

Last year, Healthcare Reforms Doctor’s Association (HRDA) had written to A Gopal Reddy, chairman of Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC), accusing private medical colleges of collecting excess fees. In February, the T-JUDA had written to the Telangana health minister, Cilarapu Damodar Raja Narasimha, apprising him of the issue.

Neither elicited any response.

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Government Medical Colleges: Delayed stipend

In government medical colleges, even where stipends are as per set standards, they are delayed for months for many residents. A third- year resident at a government medical college, Hyderabad, informed Careers360 that his stipend has been delayed by close to three months. “The stipend for February came in April. The college authorities always have some excuse,” he said, adding that there have been delays since the first year.

T-JUDA members have to constantly follow-up with the department for monthly stipends.

“It’s a routine circus. Multiple consultations and representations to the director of medical education have been made and whenever we push them hard, a month’s stipend is released,” said Gandhi. The association is constantly trying to make sure every month the stipends are released on time.

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PG stipends: Uniform policy, schedule

In Andhra Pradesh, after a group of students moved the high court, all stipends were released. An order was also passed which mandated the release of stipends like government employee salaries which are cleared every month on time.

“We have suggested a similar policy in Telangana. The stipends will be like regular salaries of state government employees. We have submitted the same document to the principal secretary of the health ministry as well,” said Gandhi.

In private medical colleges, students suffer in silence. “One of my friends had to sell his ancestral land to pursue medical education in a private medical college in Telangana. Many take loans or have families to look after,” stated a final-year resident of a government medical college.

Further, many residents have alleged corruption in both private colleges and NMC. “It’s like an open secret that everyone is aware of but no one speaks about,” said a resident who didn’t want to be named.

Students and their associations think a uniform policy, strictly enforced, is the way forward.

Dr Karan Juneja, national co-convenor, Indian Medical Association-Juniors Doctors Network (IMA-JDN) said, “The problem is that there is disparity in each state. A minimum of Rs. 50,000-60,000 should be paid to residents every month across the country. We are not asking for high stipends. It’s difficult for PG residents to survive without a stipend because many of them are married and have families to take care of. Residents not only work but also teach. Stipend is their right.”

Juneja suggested that city-wise stipends should be paid to residents. “If NMC can regulate and bring a uniform bond policy, then why not a uniform PG stipend policy?” he said.