Stipends woes continue for shifted Gian Sagar Medical College MBBS and PG medicos

Chandigarh: Tough times for MBBS and PG medical students of shut Gian Sagar Medical college have not ended yet as the medicos are still not being paid stipend which they are entitled to.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that Gian Sagar Medical College was shut down in February 2017 over financial breakdown. Following this, the government at that time announced the shifting of around 1,500 UG and PG medical students of the Medical College to other medical institutions operating across the state to complete the remaining years of their courses.

Also Read: Violations of MCI norms: Former PG Medicos of Gian Sagar Medical College approach Tribunal

Among these shifted students, eight PG medical students of Anesthesia and Surgery were shifted to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital (GGSMCH), Faridkot while around 60 MBBS students were shifted to the Government Medical College, Amritsar which is affiliated to the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot.

The stipend of Rs 45,990 per month for the academic year 2016-2017 for PG medical students and the stipend granted to MBBS students was also stopped. This led to a great hue and cry.

On October 15, 2018, the MBBS students wrote a letter to the Director, Medical Research and Education, Punjab for directing to pay an appropriate stipend to the students of MBBS course. However, no action was taken.

The aggrieved medicos then resorted to legal action.

The PG medical students shifted to GGSMCH, Faridkot, who were not paid any stipend between June 2017 and April 2018 by the medical college citing ineligibility approached the court on January 2019.

The Tribune reports that the PG medical students claimed that paying Rs 6.5 lakh per annum fee and performing over 12 hours of duty daily, however, GGSMCH declined to pay them the stipend as they were shifted from another college. Meanwhile, other medicos of the college were getting Rs 48,720 monthly stipend. It was when these shifted PG medicos pitched over the issue, GGSMCH paid them Rs 24,360 (half) stipend from May 2018 to end of their courses in May 2019.

On the other hand, the MBBS students then moved the Punjab and Haryana high court and filed a petition over the release of stipend. The petitioner's counsel contended that the medical students were entitled to a stipend of Rs 9,000 per month from Government Medical College, Amritsar, but were not paid the same.

As per a recent media report in TOI, the petitioners sought payment to the of the outstanding amount on account of stipend, along with interest at the rate of 24% per annum with effect from the date the same became due till the date of actual payment.

Deliberating the issue, the court recently ordered the director, Medical Research and Education, Punjab, and Government Medical Colleges, Amritsar and Patiala to take a decision with regard to release the stipend within a months time. The court held;

"On consideration, if the petitioners are found entitled to payment of stipend, then the same be released to the petitioners within four weeks, thereafter failing which the same shall be paid, along with interest of 7.5% per annum, with effect from the date the same became due till date of payment."