Foreign Medical Graduates irked by non-payment of stipend by J-K medical institutions

Srinagar, Nov 17: Notwithstanding the guidelines from the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Supreme Court, Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) who at present are pursuing their internships in Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) across J-K say, they haven't been paid their stipends yet.

They said, the issue remains unresolved, leaving many FMGs struggling for money.

"It has been six months since we began our internships, and despite putting in the same effort as our peers from Indian medical colleges, we have not received a single rupee as stipend. This is a direct violation of national guidelines," several FMG interns told GK.

They said, despite meeting J-K CM and Minister of Health and Medical Education, they have seen no update on their issue.

"Our issue is affected by bureaucratic red tape with no visible progress," said one student.

The intern doctors said, their problem is being overlooked by the medical institutions in J-K despite the guidelines by the NMC and rulings of the Supreme Court.

Although they said they are hopeful after meeting the CM, the interns said, the promises made to them have not moved beyond the papers.

The interns urged the administration to take a timely action regarding the issue.