Hyderabad: Medical students in private colleges across Hyderabad are raising alarm over unpaid or drastically low stipends, despite clear govt norms. These include MBBS interns, postgraduate (PG) residents, and senior residents, many of whom claim they’re either paid a pittance or nothing at all — unlike their counterparts in govt medical colleges. While govt-approved stipends in Telangana range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending on the level of course, several private colleges are allegedly paying as little as Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 a month, which is less than the national floor level minimum wage (NFLMW). Some colleges are not paying stipends at all. First-year PG students in govt colleges receive Rs 58,289 per month. In contrast, private institutions are reported to be paying only Rs 18,000 in some cases. “In some colleges, even if a stipend is paid, it’s delayed for months. In others, management opens bank accounts in student’s names, credits the money, and then takes it back — either through backdoor withdrawals or by asking us to return it in cash,” alleged a PG student from a private medical college in Suraram. “We believe forged documents are being submitted to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) showing full payments.”On Tuesday, medical students at Malla Reddy Medical College for Women staged a protest on campus, demanding a stipend equal to that of govt interns. Later, Dr Ch Badra Reddy, chairman of Malla Reddy Health City, met with the interns and informed them that the management is already committed to paying a stipend of Rs 4,000 per month. He added that this had been communicated to the NMC.“All private college managements will discuss the issue and reach a decision soon,” said Dr Badra Reddy, requesting one week’s time for this. As a result, the interns have temporarily suspended their strike. However, they said they would resume the strike if no response was received within the promised timeframe.On Monday, postgraduates and MBBS interns at the Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (PMRIMS) in Chevella also staged a protest with similar demands.High fees, no payThere are 23 private colleges in Telangana, many of them in Hyderabad. Students from most of the colleges say the problem is widespread. These colleges charge high tuition fees — up to Rs 1 crore for certain courses — but still fail to honour stipend obligations. “In some colleges, they’re asking students to pay lakhs annually as ‘stipend fees’, which is illegal. Many of us have family responsibilities. The stipend isn’t a luxury — it’s a lifeline,” said a PG student from a private medical college in LB Nagar. “When we ask for fair compensation, the management doesn’t respond or cites the fee hike as an excuse.” The issue persists despite an Aug 2023 National Medical Commission (NMC) advisory that mandated private colleges pay stipends on par with govt colleges under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER), 2000. However, in Feb 2024, the NMC shifted responsibility to state authorities. While a 2022 and 2023 Supreme Court ruling clarified that stipends must be paid by both govt and private institutions, loopholes remain. The 2021 NMC regulation on MBBS internships vaguely says stipends “shall be fixed by the appropriate authority”, giving private colleges leeway to exploit medical interns financially. The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) and the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA) have submitted representations to the director of medical education (DME), urging state intervention. “These practices are causing financial and emotional distress,” said Dr D Ajay Kumar, T-JUDA general secretary. “The govt must act immediately.” The TAFRC has sought explanations from college managements, alleging “serious irregularities and exploitation”. On May 31, health minister C Damodar Raja Narasimha raised the issue with NMC chairman Dr BN Gangadhar during a meeting in Hyderabad. He urged strong action against defaulting institutions, and Gangadhar assured that the matter would be reviewed seriously.
