Srinagar, Feb 06: The MBBS and BDS interns at different Government Medical/Dental Colleges of Jammu & Kashmir have appealed the Health and Medical Education Department to enhance their stipend at par with colleges in the country.
The interns revealed that in July 2021, the Union Health Ministry enhanced the stipend of interns of various medical colleges in the country following which they too had demanded the same.
A delegation of interns from GMC Srinagar said the stipend of MBBS interns of J&K is currently amongst the lowest in the country at an average of 400 per day (12,300 per month).
“Even a highly skilled worker on a job like construction of roads and buildings is entitled to a daily wage of 876 as per the order dated 12-08-2022 of Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India,” they said.
“The West Bengal Govt. pays Rs 28,050 per month as stipend to interns as per order issued by the Govt. of West Bengal, Department of Health & Family Welfare. But our stipend is still the same in Jammu and Kashmir medical Colleges,” they said.
The delegation said intern doctors are expected to support their family and the present amount of stipend financially is the lowest among the other colleges and institutions.
“The interns are the backbone of the Medical Colleges and frequently work on 24-hour shifts and work at par with the other staff,” they said.
An official said on the request of interns, in June 2023, the health department constituted a committee comprising officers to work out the financial implication for reasonable enhancement of stipend in favour of MBBS/BDS interns in different Government Medical/Dental Colleges of Jammu & Kashmir.
The committee comprised Director Finance, H&ME Department, Principal, Govt. Medical College, Jammu/Srinagar, Director (Coordination), New Govt. Medical Colleges, Principal, Govt. Dental College Jammu/Srinagar.
However, the MBBS interns said that the Finance Department is delaying the process and raising irrelevant queries rather than finding a comprehensive solution.
They appealed the Secretary Health and Medical Education, Jammu and Kashmir to intervene the matter and do the needful for which the interns have been waiting for.
Pertinent to mention, in 2021, the Ministry of health had approved revised rate of stipend to the MBBS interns borne on the authorized strength of the Central Government institutions under the control of the Ministry to Rs 26,300 per month.
