In response to concerns raised by foreign medical graduates regarding the non-receipt of internship stipends, the Supreme Court issued a significant ruling, asserting that these students must be treated equally with their Indian counterparts.

During a hearing on a petition filed by a group of doctors, a two-judge bench emphasized that medical colleges must provide stipends to foreign medical graduates during their internships. The bench specifically instructed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to furnish details regarding stipend payments at three specific colleges: Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College in Vidisha, Dr Laxminarayan Pandey Government Medical College in Ratlam, and Employees State Insurance Corporation Medical College in Alwar.

The court underscored the importance of stipend payments and warned colleges of strong action if they failed to comply with directives. It emphasized that medical colleges cannot differentiate between MBBS and foreign medical graduates.

Previously, on January 23, the Supreme Court had sought responses from both the NMC and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College following a petition filed by five foreign medical graduates.

Furthermore, the court stressed that the NMC and related authorities must ensure that foreign medical graduates receive stipends for the entire duration of their internships, in line with norms observed by other medical colleges.

The foreign medical graduates in question are currently undergoing internships at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College in Vidisha.