In a landmark decision aimed at ensuring fairness in medical education and training, the
Supreme Court of India has directed that Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) must receive the same stipend during their mandatory internship as their Indian-trained counterparts.
The ruling addresses long-standing concerns raised by FMGs who, despite fulfilling the same clinical duties and working similar hours as domestic medical graduates, were either paid significantly lower stipends or denied payment altogether by certain state governments and medical institutions.
Foreign Medical Graduates Indian students who pursue MBBS degrees abroad and return to India are required to clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) or National Exit Test (as applicable) before undergoing a Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) in India.
However, several institutions had previously argued that since FMGs did not complete their undergraduate training within India, they were not entitled to stipends equivalent to those paid to students from Indian medical colleges. This led to disparities in compensation across states, causing financial strain and widespread dissatisfaction among FMGs.
The Supreme Court observed that once FMGs are permitted to undergo internship in approved Indian medical institutions, they perform the same responsibilities, handle similar patient loads, and are bound by identical professional standards as Indian graduates.
The Court emphasized that:
The judgment reinforces the constitutional principles of equality and non-discrimination.
This ruling is expected to:
Medical education experts believe this decision will strengthen India’s healthcare workforce by ensuring equitable treatment of all qualified graduates.
FMGs play a critical role in supporting India's healthcare infrastructure, particularly in government hospitals, where internship training often involves intensive clinical responsibilities. Ensuring equal pay may improve retention and professional satisfaction among young doctors entering the system.
This decision is also seen as an important step in making medical education rules clearer and more uniform across India, especially as the system is going through changes and reforms.
State governments and medical institutions will now be required to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive and ensure that stipend policies align with the judgment.
For thousands of Foreign Medical Graduates awaiting internship placements or currently undergoing training, the verdict marks a significant and long-awaited victory.
