Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
In a major relief to medical and dental graduates undergoing compulsory internship in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has approved an increase in their monthly stipend from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000, with the Health and Medical Education Department directed to issue the necessary order immediately, government sources said.
According to a report by a local news agency, the Chief Minister has cleared the file concerning the long-pending revision, paving the way for a substantial increase in the monthly remuneration of MBBS and BDS interns.
“The Chief Minister has approved the file for enhancement of the monthly stipend from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000. The Health and Medical Education Department has been directed to issue the necessary orders immediately,” government sources told a local news agency KNS.
The formal order was expected to be issued on Tuesday, but the holiday delayed its issuance. The department is now expected to issue the notification on Wednesday, October 21, the sources said.
The proposed revision will raise the monthly stipend by Rs 12,700, an increase of approximately 103.25 per cent over the existing amount. On an annual basis, an intern receiving the revised stipend for 12 months would earn Rs 3 lakh, compared with Rs 1,47,600 under the current rate—an increase of Rs 1,52,400.
The decision comes after sustained protests by MBBS and BDS interns across Jammu and Kashmir, who had been demanding an increase in their monthly stipend to Rs 30,000.
The interns launched an indefinite strike on August 31, arguing that their stipend had remained unchanged for nearly seven years despite rising living costs and the demands associated with hospital duties.
The proposed enhancement significantly increases interns’ remuneration, though it falls short of the Rs 30,000 monthly stipend sought by the protesting graduates. The department’s formal order is awaited.
