NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought to know from Delhi-based Army College of Medical Sciences why it was not paying stipend to MBBS doctors during their one-year internship.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli issued notice to the ACMS, affiliated to IP University here on a joint petition filed by Abhishek Yadav and others.

The plea filed by advocate Dr Charu Mathur challenged the "unjust and arbitrary" act of the respondents in holding back the stipend of the petitioners, who are serving compulsory one year internship in the Army base hospital, Delhi.

The petitioners are entitled to a regular stipend as per Clause 3 (Schedule IV) of the National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021, their plea said.

It also pointed out the petitioners,  who got admission through NEET and completed their course, have to take care of their accommodation, food and other expenses while doing the one-year internship.

"Almost all candidates availed education loan for.MBBS and their regular EMI payments has also started from April this year. Therefore, it is thoroughly impossible for them to meet education and other day-to day expenses," their plea said.