Foreign medical graduates working in Telangana demand equal pay and recognition
The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA), in a formal representation submitted to the Director of Medical Education (DME), has called for urgent intervention to address what they term as 'systemic discrimination' against FMG house surgeons.
The representation, made on behalf of FMG interns deployed across 34 government hospitals and several private institutions in the State, highlights how these medicos, who cleared the mandatory Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE), are being pushed to the margins despite their contribution to the State's healthcare system.
'Once certified, we are allotted internships by the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) based strictly on merit. We are posted in district hospitals, teaching institutions, and tertiary care centres where we carry out full clinical duties, including emergency care, ward management, and documentation. Yet, we are paid a stipend of ₹5,000 per month, the lowest among all medical interns in the State, and in several cases, even this amount is delayed for months or not disbursed at all,' said a FMG intern posted at a district hospital.
'This is far below the salary paid even to Class IV employees in hospitals. The disparity is not just financial but that of neglecting FMGs despite their service,' the intern added.
A Government Order (GO) issued by the Telangana government in 2023 mandated a monthly stipend of ₹25,906 for MBBS interns working in both government and private medical colleges. This amount was revised to ₹29,792 through an updated GO issued on June 28, 2025.
Dr. Issac Newton, President of T-JUDA pointed out that FMG interns are routinely deployed to manage critical responsibilities due to staff shortages. In some hospitals, they are expected to function at the level of Casualty Medical Officers (CMOs), handling emergency rooms and night shifts. 'They do equal work, but there is no equal recognition or pay,' he added.
Another intern said 'Most FMGs, now in their late twenties, face financial and emotional stress. Many have taken large education loans to study abroad and return home with the hope of serving the public. The uncertainty and irregularity in stipends are adding to their mental strain, affecting both morale and performance.'
Calling for urgent redressal, JUDA placed three specific demands before the DME. These include immediate inclusion of FMG interns under the revised house surgeon stipend structure, timely and equal disbursement of stipends across all government and private hospitals and formal recognition of FMGs as equal contributors to the healthcare workforce, in line with National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines.
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