Telangana HC takes up medical interns’ stipend row case, to look into claims of unlawful cuts

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday decided to hear the case about the alleged exploitation of medical interns across private and government medical colleges in the State.

The issue came to light through a series of emails sent to the Chief Justice by a person identified as Pravitha Reddy. The correspondence has been taken up as Public Interest Litigation (PIL)

The petitioner, through her communications, drew the Court’s attention to the precarious conditions faced by medical interns engaged at various medical institutions across Telangana, attributing their hardship primarily to the non-payment and unlawful deduction of stipends.

Non-payment of stipends and systematic exploitation of interns

It was contended that both government and private medical colleges have blatantly disregarded the directions and guidelines issued by the National Medical Commission, which explicitly mandates the payment of stipends to medical interns.

Beyond the issue of non-payment, the petitioner raised grave concerns regarding the systematic exploitation of interns.

It was alleged that upon joining their respective courses, interns are compelled to open bank accounts in specific designated branches and are made to execute blank cheques, enabling the colleges concerned to siphon the stipend amounts due to them.

The petitioner further submitted that the interns, already burdened with demanding clinical duties, are subjected to significant mental trauma because of this financial exploitation and institutional misconduct.

The Standing Counsel appearing on behalf of the National Medical Commission informed the Bench that 22 private medical colleges are operating within the State and urged the Court to implead all such institutions as parties to the proceedings.

The Division Bench declined this prayer, directing instead that the State Government respond to the matter in the first instance.

The Standing Counsel additionally apprised the Court that serious allegations about this issue have been levelled specifically against three institutions, namely Bhaskara Medical College, Malla Reddy Medical College, and Patnam Narender Reddy Medical College.