Supreme Court Told NMC Has Initiated Action Against Seven Medical Colleges Over Stipend Violations

June 4, 2026 : The National Medical Commission (NMC) has informed the Supreme Court that regulatory proceedings have been initiated against seven medical colleges found to be violating stipend payment norms for medical interns, junior residents, and senior residents.

The submission was made before a Bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Prasanna B. Varale during the hearing of a batch of petitions concerning stipend payments to MBBS interns and postgraduate medical students across the country.

According to the NMC, out of 756 undergraduate medical colleges, stipend-related compliance issues have not been reported in 573 institutions. The Commission further stated that 176 colleges are newly established and remain at various stages of development and operation.

The regulator informed the Court that only seven colleges were identified as defaulting in stipend payments. Show-cause notices have been issued to these institutions, proposing regulatory action and penalties. The NMC said further decisions would be taken after examining the responses submitted by the concerned colleges.

The Commission also clarified that one medical college remains non-operational and has no interns, making the stipend issue inapplicable in that case.

Regarding postgraduate medical education, the NMC submitted that 562 institutions are conducting postgraduate courses and paying stipends to resident doctors. It added that two institutions do not currently have interns, and therefore stipend payment obligations do not arise there.

The case arises from allegations that several medical colleges were either not paying stipends or were paying amounts significantly below prescribed standards despite existing regulations and judicial directions. The issue has drawn attention from medical students, activists, and stakeholders concerned about the implementation of stipend-related provisions under the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations (MSMER), 2023.

The controversy has also been highlighted through multiple Right to Information (RTI) applications filed by Kerala-based activist Dr. K.V. Babu, who questioned the transparency of the NMC’s enforcement actions. He has sought details regarding measures taken against institutions accused of violating stipend regulations and alleged that complete information was not disclosed despite repeated requests.

Concerns were further amplified by findings from an NMC survey conducted in 2023 involving 7,901 postgraduate students from 213 private and self-financed medical colleges across 19 states. The survey reportedly found that nearly 16 percent of postgraduate students were required to return their stipends to college managements after receiving them. Critics have argued that the identities of the institutions involved have not been publicly disclosed.

The litigation originated from a petition filed by medical graduate Abhishek Yadav and others seeking strict enforcement of stipend payment norms. The petitioners relied on previous directions mandating a minimum stipend of ₹25,000 per month for interns and alleged widespread non-compliance by certain institutions.

To streamline further proceedings, the Supreme Court appointed Advocate Charu Mathur as the nodal counsel and directed all parties to submit pleadings, synopses, and relevant documents for the preparation of a consolidated convenience compilation. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on August 24, when the Court will review compliance measures and the action taken by the NMC against the defaulting colleges.