Hyderabad: Bhaskar Medical College, Moinabad under fire for underpaying stipend to MBBS interns

Hyderabad: Bhaskar Medical College (BMC), Moinabad, is under fire for allegedly underpaying stipend to MBBS interns, and deliberately misrepresenting government orders.

This comes despite multiple reminders from the NMC to Telangana DME since February 2025 to fix the problem. Even after a follow-up directive was issued on March 3, 2025, no corrective steps were taken.

Advocate Pravitha Reddy has formally submitted a comprehensive legal complaint to the NMC’s Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), demanding disciplinary action under Sections 27 and 29 of the NMC Act, 2019. She has called for the enforcement of fair internship stipends as mandated by the state government.

Obsolete G.O. Cited by College Sparks Allegations of Deception

According to the complaint, Bhaskar Medical College cited G.O. Ms. No. 489 dated 05.09.2003 as the basis for paying a meager stipend of ₹2,000 per month to interns.

This government order predates the establishment of the college and is “obsolete and irrelevant,” as per Advocate Reddy. The college, she argues, is ignoring the current and binding G.O. Ms. No. 59 dated 27.05.2023, which mandates a monthly stipend of ₹25,906 for all MBBS interns across government and private colleges in Telangana affiliated to Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS).

“This reference is both irrelevant and deceptive,” states Reddy in her letter. “It fails to comply with the current valid G.O., and continues to be a tool for denying basic economic justice to interns.”

NMC Official Repeats Alleged Misrepresentation

The matter becomes even more alarming with the revelation that Dr. Sukh Lal Meena, Director of UGMEB at the NMC, repeated the erroneous G.O. reference in his response to the complaint, inadvertently referring to “G.O. Ms. No. 489 dated 05.09.2023.” Reddy alleges that this date appears to be a fabricated version of the original G.O., calling it a “clear indication of either gross negligence or intentional misrepresentation.”

She further criticizes both the NMC and Telangana’s DME for failing to verify actual stipend payments or fee collection records, relying instead on “copy-pasted” and unverified responses from the college.

Interns Struggling Amid Stipend Irregularities

Advocate Reddy’s complaint also sheds light on the dire financial situation of MBBS interns at the college, many of whom come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Students are unable to even afford lunch during long-duty hours in hospitals,” she writes. “They are paid less than daily wage laborers while being made to work under intense clinical responsibilities.”

She alleges that Bhaskar Medical College has been collecting an additional ₹5,000 per year from students under the pretense of paying stipends — a move she deems exploitative and illegal.

Call for Immediate Intervention and Institutional Action

In her detailed letter addressed to the NMC and other authorities, Reddy demands the following actions:

• Immediate compliance with G.O. Ms. No. 59, and full stipend disbursal at ₹25,906/month from January 2025 onward.

• Submission of account-wise records of stipend payments by Bhaskar Medical College.

• Clarification from the college regarding the misleading citation of a 2003 G.O.

• Mandatory disclosure of monthly stipend data on the college’s official website.

• Disciplinary action against those responsible for misguiding authorities.

• Withholding of the 2025–26 student intake until full compliance is ensured.

“If no concrete action is taken within 15 days,” she warns, “we will be compelled to move Telangana High Court under Article 226.”

Regulatory Apathy Under Scrutiny

The complaint comes after repeated inaction by the Telangana DME despite multiple reminders from the NMC since February 2025. Even after a follow-up directive was issued on March 3, 2025, no corrective steps were taken.

In her earlier communication to state officials, Reddy emphasized, “It is highly concerning that despite the NMC’s notice being sent to the official email ID of the Directorate of Medical Education, the authorities have neither taken necessary corrective measures nor submitted the required response.”

She calls on the state health department, including Health Minister Damodar Ciliparu, to “take immediate steps to enforce the stipend norms and protect the interests of poor medical students.”

Legal Grounds and Precedents Cited

The complaint draws upon a range of legal provisions and precedents:

• NMC regulations require adherence to state-mandated stipend norms.

• The Apprentices Act, 1961, mandates lawful stipend payments.

• Supreme Court rulings (TMA Pai Foundation, Islamic Academy cases) that prohibit the collection of unauthorized amounts from students.

• Telangana High Court’s judgment in Dr. P. Narayana Reddy v. State of Telangana (2021) reinforces the binding nature of government stipend directives.

What Lies Ahead

As scrutiny mounts, the ball now lies in the court of the NMC and Telangana’s health education authorities to take transparent and immediate corrective action. The issue has also been escalated to national and state political leaders, including the Union Health Minister JP Nadda and the Telangana Chief Secretary.

“This is no longer just about one college,” Reddy concludes. “It’s about systemic accountability and ensuring our future doctors are treated with the dignity and fairness they deserve.”

Copies of the complaint and supporting documents have been sent to multiple stakeholders, including the Telangana Chief Minister’s office, MoHFW, KNRUHS, and the Registrar of the Hon’ble Telangana High Court.