Medical interns urge CM to enhance their stipends in upcoming budget

Srinagar : The MBBS and BDS interns in Jammu and Kashmir continue to grapple with a meagre monthly stipend and have urged the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to increase their stipends by including it in the coming budget.
Interns said that despite the committee recommendations for an enhancement in the stipends upto Rs 26,350 formed via order number 538 JK-HME dated 27-06-2023, nearly one and a half year ago, to address the issue of “reasonable stipend enhancement.”
The committee comprised three members, Director Finance H&ME Department; Principles of Government Medical Colleges in Jammu and Srinagar; the Director (Coordination) of New Government Medical Colleges; and Principals of Dental Colleges in Jammu and Srinagar, which submitted its report in August 2023.
It recommended an enhancement in the stipends of the interns, raising it to Rs 26,350 from Rs 12,300 based on the half of the basic pay of a Medical Officer in J&K, as per the NMC norms.
Despite the submission of the report, the matter has remained stalled in the Finance department with no progress for more than a year now.
They said that they met the CM, who assured them it will be looked into on priority, ensuring that there won’t be any disparity between the interns of J&K and the rest of the country.
They, however, said that the Health Minister has disappointed all the interns, who said, “The Government’s financial constraints are preventing the immediate resolution of the interns’ demands. However, the issue is under the consideration of the Government as the demands of the students are genuine.”
The stipends of interns in J&K have not been since January 2019, when J&K was under the Governor’s Rule and till now the Interns continue to be paid with the lowest stipends in the country, they said.
Surprisingly, the Stipends of Interns in the rest of the country were hiked twice to thrice in the last 5 years.
The Interns (MBBS/BDS) had hoped the committee’s recommendations would bring their stipends in line with those of their counterparts in other states. However, the prolonged delay has left them disillusioned. “We work diligently, often putting in extra hours and performing every duty of a resident doctor, yet our compensation is lower than that of daily labourers,” a student from Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag said.
Students at GMC Baramulla expressed frustration over the inaction. “We were hopeful that the committee’s recommendations would be implemented quickly, but the prolonged delay has plunged us into despair,” said a student.
He added that they hope the new government would seriously look into the matter and enhance their Stipends in the upcoming Budget Session.
They have sought intervention of CM Omar Abdullah in this regard