On May 13, 2025, the Supreme Court of India sent a notice to the Union government over a petition that questions the decision to extend internship periods and charge monthly fees for medical students who had to return to India because of the COVID-19 outbreak and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The case was heard by a Bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai. The petition was filed by the Association of Doctors and Medical Students and argued by advocate Zulfiker Ali P.S.
The group raised concerns about medical graduates from abroad being asked to complete a two-year internship in India, instead of the usual one year. They were also being charged ₹5,000 each month during this time.
Students Affected by Global Disruptions
These students had started their studies in foreign medical schools in 2016 and 2017. Normally, they would have finished their degrees by 2022 or 2023 and started working as doctors.
But due to COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, many of them had to leave their universities and come back to India. They finished their theory classes online and continued their hands-on training once home.
Internship Time Doubled
The petition says that Indian authorities have placed extra rules on these students, requiring them to do a two-year internship. This is longer than the standard one-year program and creates delays and extra costs for the students.
“These students have already faced delays because of the pandemic and war,” the petition says. “Adding an extra year only pushes back their ability to work as doctors and puts them behind others in their field.”
Extra Charges Add to the Pressure
Along with the extra year, students are being asked to pay ₹5,000 every month during their internship. The petition calls this unfair and says it adds to the financial strain many of these students are already facing.
Conflict with Existing Rules
The group also said that the orders from Indian medical institutions to extend the internship and charge fees go against the rules set by the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act. They are asking the court to make sure that all policies match what is written in the law and to protect students who were affected by events outside their control.
The Supreme Court move to ask the government for a reply is the first step in a case that could affect many medical students who were forced to return home during times of global crisis.
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