MBBS and BDS interns across Jammu and Kashmir have launched an indefinite strike, demanding a substantial increase in their monthly stipend. The protesting interns are currently staging dharnas in Jammu and have sought a hike from the existing Rs 12,300 to Rs 30,000, citing inflation, long working hours, and the workload they shoulder in government hospitals.According to news agency PTI, the interns have also demanded a written assurance from the government before withdrawing the protest.
Interns demand immediate stipend revision
The interns said the stipend has remained largely unchanged for around seven years despite repeated representations to the authorities.“We have launched an indefinite strike and are on dharna in support of our demand to enhance our stipend to Rs 30,000. A written assurance should come from the government,” said Dr Abhinav Bhat, one of the protesting students in Jammu, told PTI.The interns argue that the existing stipend no longer reflects the responsibilities attached to their work. They have pointed to the rising cost of living and the long hours spent in hospitals as key reasons for seeking an immediate revision.
‘Same duties, but a fraction of the stipend’
Dr Shahnawaz, another protesting intern, said MBBS and BDS interns from across Jammu and Kashmir had joined the strike over the issue.“Our stipend has remained at around Rs 12,300 for seven years. In several other states, interns are getting between Rs 25,000 and Rs 45,000. We are performing the same duties, including 24-hour and night shifts and rural postings, but are being paid only around Rs 400 a day,” he told PTI.The comparison with other states has become a central point in the interns’ argument. They contend that the disparity is difficult to justify when interns are expected to perform demanding hospital duties irrespective of the state in which they are posted.The protesting students are seeking a monthly stipend of Rs 30,000.
Interns highlight emergency and hospital duties
The interns have also questioned the financial treatment of medical trainees despite their role in the functioning of government hospitals.According to the students, interns are often among the first medical personnel to attend to patients arriving in emergency departments. They also assist senior doctors in outpatient departments, wards, procedures, and other routine hospital services.The interns have maintained that their demand is not merely about a higher payout but about bringing their stipend closer to the workload and responsibilities associated with compulsory internship training.
Committee recommendation remains pending, say students
The protesting interns have also raised questions over the delay in implementing earlier recommendations on the issue.Dr Bhat claimed that the Health and Medical Education Department had constituted a committee in 2023 to examine the stipend issue. According to his claim, the committee recommended increasing the stipend to around Rs 25,000 for the 2025-26 period.He further claimed that the issue was subsequently raised during the 2026 Assembly session, where a proposed stipend of around Rs 26,300 was mentioned. However, the interns allege that the proposal has not yet translated into an actual revision and that the concerned file remains pending.These claims were made by the protesting students and were reported by PTI; an independent confirmation of the status of the file was not provided in the information available.
Interns point to stipend gap across states
The students have cited stipend figures from several states to underline the disparity.As per figures cited by the protesting interns, Telangana offers around Rs 25,900 a month, while Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh provide Rs 25,000 each. Tamil Nadu’s stipend has been cited at approximately Rs 25,000, while Haryana offers around Rs 24,310 and Andhra Pradesh about Rs 21,840.The figures cited by the interns put stipends in Gujarat, Bihar, Goa, and Himachal Pradesh at around Rs 20,000 a month, while Puducherry is listed at approximately Rs 18,000.The interns have used these figures to argue that Jammu and Kashmir’s Rs 12,300 stipend has fallen significantly behind payments in several other parts of the country.
Indefinite strike puts pressure on administration
With the protest now continuing indefinitely, the issue puts the Jammu and Kashmir administration in a position where a prolonged deadlock could affect internship-related hospital duties.The interns have made it clear that they want more than a verbal assurance. Their demand includes a written commitment on the stipend revision.For the protesting MBBS and BDS interns, the dispute has now moved beyond a routine administrative demand. They are questioning why a stipend that has remained unchanged for years should continue despite rising living costs, demanding clinical responsibilities and a significant difference in payments across states.For now, the interns remain on strike, awaiting a concrete response from the government.
