Today, the Supreme Court strongly questioned the Army College of Medical Sciences for not paying arrears of stipend to MBBS interns from the 2022 batch, pointing out that the students had worked long hours during their internship without being compensated.
The issue arose from a petition filed by former MBBS interns who had completed their compulsory internship at the Army College but had not been paid stipends. While a three-judge Bench had, in September 2023, fixed a stipend of ₹25,000 per month for batches commencing October 2023, the 2022 interns contended that despite rendering identical services, they had been denied the same benefit.
Appearing for the petitioners, Advocate Tanvi Dubey pointed out that while three subsequent batches of interns had been paid stipends, the 2022 batch, which first moved the Court, had been unjustly left out. Supporting the plea, another counsel argued, “They have already given their services in the mandatory internship program... we have not been given any sort of arrears.”
The Division Bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Aravind Kumar questioned Senior Advocate R. Balasubramanian, appearing for the Army College, on the continued non-payment. Justice Aravind Kumar remarked sharply, “You make them work for 18 hours, 19 hours and you don’t want to pay them stipend?”
Senior Advocate R. Balasubramanian submitted that the institution was run by a society and not government-funded. The Bench, however, was categorical that the students had performed work for the College and were entitled to be compensated. Recording the statement made on behalf of the Army College, the Court directed, “We are of the opinion that the same benefit ought to be given to the previous batch as well… Consequently we direct that interns of 2022, who had done their internship with Army Medical College, that also be paid an amount of Rs. 25,000. Let the same be calculated and paid within eight weeks.”
With this direction, the Supreme Court extended to the 2022 interns the stipend regime already in place for subsequent batches, ensuring parity of treatment.
Picture Source :
