'Comparable To Bonded Labour,' Supreme Court Blasts NMC Over Stipends To MBBS Interns

A Supreme Court panel, comprising of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, came down heavily on the National Medical Commission (NMC) over majority of medical colleges in India not providing stipends to students.

The court took into account that over 70% of medical institutes in the country were not providing stipends to medical students, who are often put under difficult conditions from lack of facilities to long work hours. The top court termed the problem akin to 'bonded labour'.

Private institutes, who charge huge fees from students, were also slammed by the top court for failing to provide stipends. The Justice Chandrachud-led panel also questioned NMC's role as a regulator to which the medical body requested more time to gather relevant information and report to the panel.

This is not the first time that the top court has put NMC in the dock over lack of stipends. On September 15, the Supreme Court urged NMC to investigate allegations over two thirds of medical institutes not providing payments to students.