National commission issues advisory to medical colleges

FARIDKOT: Amid complaints from MD and MS students that many institutes are refusing to pay stipend, even as their term is over, and are also not relieving them, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued an advisory to all medical colleges on the utilisation of their services.

NMC Postgraduate Medical Education Board president Dr MK Ramesh said the pandemic has disrupted exam schedules of medical education. “This has put lot of stress on medical students. The NEET Examination was postponed, delaying the arrival of fresh batch of postgraduate students.”

He added that it was against this backdrop that the NMC has issued an advisory, facilitating the institutes, in utilising the services of the MD and MS students who had finished their term of three years, till the arrival of the fresh batch of students.

“Our advisory makes it clear that these students should be paid stipend and hostel facilities should be continued. This was done to augment the medical man power during the pandemic,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we have received many complaints from the students that many institutes are refusing to pay the stipend after their term is over and are also not relieving them. They are holding their documents. This is illegal,” he said.

In the advisory NMC directed all medical colleges that irrespective of the status of examination, postgraduate students should be paid the stipend till their services are availed.

“Wherever the examinations have been held and the results are declared, the successful MD, MS and DM, MCH candidates shall be designated as senior residents and assistant professors, respectively, and be paid accordingly,” the advisory reads, adding that if medical institutes do not want their services, they should be relieved and all their documents should be returned.