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In a strongly-worded order, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Army College of Medical Sciences (ACMS) in Delhi to pay stipend arrears to its 2022 batch of MBBS interns. This comes after allegations surfaced that the interns were made to work for 18-19 hours a day without being paid any stipend, in violation of statutory regulations and a previous apex court ruling.
During a recent hearing on August 1, 2025, a bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar reprimanded the college for its non-compliance with earlier Supreme Court orders. The bench expressed concern and disbelief: “You make them work for 18-19 hours and you don’t want to pay them stipend?” Justice Dhulia stated that the students “deserve it as a matter of right” and rejected the college’s argument that it was run by a society and not government-funded, insisting that interns who rendered services must be compensated.
Key Details from the Order
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Stipend Amount and Timeline: The stipend arrears are to be calculated at ₹25,000 per month, in line with the sum fixed by a previous three-judge bench for batches commencing October 2023. The court ordered that these arrears must be paid within eight weeks.
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Background: The 2022 batch of MBBS graduates approached the Supreme Court after their mandatory internship stipends were allegedly withheld. The court noted that subsequent batches were already receiving the prescribed stipend while the previous batch was unfairly excluded.
Senior advocates representing the college attempted to downplay the delay, but the court found no justification for failing to comply with its September 2023 direction to pay stipends.
Reactions and Implications
The decision has drawn widespread attention to the working conditions of medical interns in India’s premier institutions. Medical student groups have welcomed the ruling, viewing it as a reaffirmation of the judiciary’s commitment to fair treatment and compensation for essential healthcare workers, especially during their formative professional years.
Disclaimer
This article is based on news reports and publicly available information as of August 3, 2025. For the most current and official updates, please refer to the Supreme Court’s official order and ACMS communications. The article is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or an official record of court proceedings.
