Foreign Medical Graduates Protest in Hyderabad for Stipend Parity

About 100 foreign medical graduates (FMGs) from various parts of Telangana gathered at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad on Thursday, October 15, 2026, to protest disparities in stipends. They demanded the government pay them monthly stipends on a par with Indian medical graduates (IMGs) during their compulsory internships. The primary demand articulated by the protesters is a monthly stipend of ₹29,792, which they stated is currently paid to Indian medical interns within Telangana.

A key focus of the protest was the significant disparity in payments. Demonstrators displayed posters that graphically compared the stipend received by FMG interns with the daily wages earned by ordinary labourers. Protesters alleged that while Indian medical interns receive ₹29,792 per month, FMGs at some government medical colleges were paid only ₹5,000 a month, and many others had not received any payment for months despite diligently reporting for their internship duties.

One poster, written in Telugu, vividly highlighted the financial plight of FMGs by showing that a daily-wage labourer could earn between ₹500 to ₹700 a day. In stark contrast, an FMG intern receiving ₹5,000 a month earned the equivalent of approximately ₹166 a day. Sindhura, one of the participants, explained that this comparison underscores the severe financial difficulties faced by interns who are required to perform hospital duties often with meagre or no remuneration. For many FMGs, the financial burden extends beyond their education. The cost of studying medicine overseas often runs into several lakhs of rupees, with many students and their families relying heavily on education loans to fund their courses. The stipend earned during the compulsory internship is crucial, offering these graduates an opportunity to begin repaying their loans while also covering their daily expenses.

Manikanta, who completed his medical education in Ukraine and returned to India last year, shared his experience. After qualifying in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and completing the counselling process, he was allotted a college in Khammam, where he commenced his internship in January. "It has been about 10 months since I started my internship, but we have not received a stipend for any month so far,” he stated. Shashank, another intern who completed his medical education in Georgia and is currently interning at Government Medical College (GMC), Nagarkurnool, echoed these sentiments. He reiterated that the protesters are seeking both stipend parity and the immediate release of all pending payments. "Our primary demand is a monthly stipend of ₹29,792, on a par with that paid to Indian medical interns. The government should also release all pending stipend arrears from January,” Shashank emphasized.

Support for the protest came from Syed, representing the Indian Medical Association’s Junior Doctors Network. Syed highlighted the challenging conditions in many medical colleges located in district and tribal areas, where these doctors work despite limited facilities. He noted that even while serving in such demanding environments and shouldering the same responsibilities as their Indian counterparts, FMGs do not receive equitable remuneration. Syed confirmed efforts to secure an appointment with the Health Minister to address the issue and urge the government to issue a Government Order (GO) ensuring stipend parity for foreign medical graduates.

What to watch: The Health Minister's response to the FMGs' demands and potential government action.

Editor's note: The article comprehensively covers the protest details, specific demands, and personal accounts provided in the source.