JK MBBS, BDS interns’ stipend hiked to Rs 25k; strike to continue until formal order

CM Omar Abdullah approves long-pending demand; interns say protest will be called off if government issues notification on Wednesday

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has approved an increase in the monthly stipend of MBBS and BDS interns in Jammu and Kashmir from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000, fulfilling a long-pending demand of medical and dental trainees.

However, the interns have decided to continue their indefinite strike until the government issues a formal order implementing the revision.

The proposed enhancement will raise the monthly stipend by Rs 12,700, marking an increase of over 103 per cent. Following the Chief Minister’s approval, the Health and Medical Education Department has been directed to issue the necessary orders immediately.

Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo has also been backing the interns’ demand for a stipend revision, which they have been pursuing for a considerable period.

Welcoming the decision, Dr Mohammad Akib Javid, representative of J&K MBBS and BDS interns and Joint Secretary of the All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA), thanked the Chief Minister for approving the enhancement but maintained that the strike would continue until the official government order was issued and made public.

In a statement issued to Kashmir News Service, Javid said the interns had been informed that the order could not be issued on Tuesday due to a holiday and was expected to be released on Wednesday.

“We sincerely thank Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for approving the enhancement of our monthly stipend. However, our indefinite strike will continue until the official government order is issued and made publicly available,” he said.

Javid said repeated assurances regarding the revision had failed to translate into implementation, leaving the interns with no option but to continue their agitation.

He added that the deadline mentioned in an earlier written assurance had already expired, despite several meetings and promises from the authorities.

“The deadline mentioned in the previous written assurance has already expired. Despite several meetings and promises, we have been left waiting for the implementation of our legitimate demand,” he said.

The interns, however, expressed hope that the government would fulfil its latest commitment without further delay. Javid said they were prepared to wait until Wednesday and would call off the strike if the formal order was issued.

“We are willing to wait until tomorrow. If the government issues the formal order on Wednesday, we will call off our strike. Until then, our peaceful protest will continue,” he said.

The interns have been demanding a revision of their stipend, citing prolonged stagnation in payments, rising living costs and the demanding nature of their compulsory clinical duties.

The Chief Minister’s approval marks a significant step towards addressing their concerns, but the continuation of the strike underscores the interns’ insistence on formal implementation rather than an announcement alone.

The future course of the agitation will depend on whether the Health and Medical Education Department issues the government order on Wednesday, as expected.