Himal Press 
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli chairs the 16th meeting of the Medical Education Commission.
KATHMANDU: Resident doctors studying at private medical colleges will now receive a stipend equivalent to that provided by the government.
The 16th meeting of the Medical Education Commission, chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, on Friday, decided to provide resident doctors at private medical colleges with a living allowance equivalent to the government’s eighth-level scale.
Based on previous discussions with stakeholders and the reports received, the meeting decided to ensure equal facilities for resident doctors, including a monthly allowance of Rs 48,700.
At present, private medical colleges are providing resident doctors a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000.
The decision comes amid ongoing protests by postgraduate students demanding equal facilities, which have even affected commission examinations.
The meeting also discussed whether to charge students, who do not comply with the two-year study and work agreement, an annual fee of Rs 2.3 million.
In the meeting, Prof Dr Gyanendra Man Singh Karki, president of the Private Medical Colleges Association, urged the commission to make decisions only after finalizing procedures. However, Prime Minister Oli, who also chairs the commission, along with co-chairs Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel, and Minister for Education, Science and Technology Bidya Bhattarai, said that they cannot backtrack on the commitment to providing equal facilities to resident doctors.
