Anantnag, August 31: MBBS interns at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and its associated hospitals staged a peaceful protest on Monday, demanding a revision of their monthly stipend, which they said has remained unchanged for nearly seven years.
The protest is part of a pan-Jammu and Kashmir agitation by MBBS interns, with support from BDS interns and resident doctors' associations. Similar protests are being held at medical colleges and hospitals across the Union Territory.
A protesting intern said the monthly stipend currently stands at Rs 12,300 and has not been revised since 2019, despite a substantial rise in living expenses, including accommodation, food and transportation.
The interns said they perform clinical duties comparable to those undertaken by interns in other states, including night shifts, emergency duties, ward work, outpatient department (OPD) services and intensive care unit (ICU) responsibilities.
According to the protesters, interns in some states receive stipends of around Rs 43,000-Rs 44,000 per month, significantly higher than the amount paid to interns in Jammu and Kashmir.
The interns also pointed out that a government-constituted committee had previously recommended a substantial increase in the stipend, but the matter has yet to be finalised.
"Prolonged inaction and the apparent deaf ears of the authorities have left us with no alternative but to withdraw from routine duties and stage this peaceful protest until a formal order revising the stipend is issued," a protesting student said.
The interns, however, maintained that they do not want their agitation to affect healthcare delivery and acknowledged their important role in patient care at government hospitals.
"We wish to place on record that we do not desire any disruption in the delivery of healthcare services to patients. Interns form a vital pillar of clinical care in government hospitals," the student said.
They said repeated representations, memoranda and appeals over the years had failed to produce a concrete outcome, prompting them to launch the agitation.
The interns are demanding fair compensation, dignity and recognition for the services they provide during their compulsory one-year internship.
