The Supreme Court issued a stern warning to the National Medical Commission (NMC) over the continued non-payment of stipend to medical doctors, observing that failure to ensure payment may invite contempt proceedings.

A Bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice P.B. Varale made it clear at the outset that stipend payment is not discretionary, but a basic entitlement of doctors who are required to work 24 to 48 hour shifts during their training. The Bench remarked that the nature of work performed by doctors during residency and medical courses makes stipend a matter of right and dignity, not charity.

During the hearing, the Court noted that in one of the connected matters, it had already directed retrospective payment of stipend to the batch of doctors who had approached the Court. With respect to the remaining petitions, counsel appearing for the doctors submitted that medical students incur substantial financial expenditure in pursuing their education and are entitled to receive stipend in accordance with applicable norms.

The Bench expressed concern over systemic non-compliance and emphasised that regulatory authorities cannot remain passive when statutory and institutional obligations towards doctors are being violated. It cautioned that if stipends continue to be withheld, the Court would not hesitate to initiate contempt proceedings.

The petitioner doctors are represented by Advocates Charu Mathur and Tanvi Dubey, while the NMC is represented by Advocate Gaurav Sharma.