Medical internship stipend payment has long been a contentious issue across India.
Recently, students from government medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh initiated a week-long strike to demand a raise in their monthly stipends, which stands at a meagre Rs 12,000 per month — the lowest in the country.
This discontent has quickly spread to other states like Madhya Pradesh, where the state government increased the stipend from Rs 13,409 by a mere Rs 500, yesterday, July 30. This small increment has left interns feeling disillusioned.
"Calling an increase of Rs 500 a hike is shameful. It’s as if they were compensated merely for the travel expenses incurred to visit the minister’s office,” says Dr Dhruv Chauhan, National Council Coordinator of the Indian Medical Association - Junior Doctors’ Network (IMA-JDN).
In other regions, such as Punjab, Gujarat, and the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, interns receive stipends lower than Rs 15,000. Following the protests in UP, medical interns in these states have also started staging demonstrations, demanding immediate hikes in their stipends.
“This does not even meet our basic needs and expenses. A minimum of Rs 1,000 per day is essential,” asserted Dr Ayush Katiyar, an intern at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida, when he last spoke with EdexLive.
However, in contrast, in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, medical interns receive between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 per month.
Updates from Uttar Pradesh
To recall, on July 22, the interns in UP launched a strike demanding the state authorities hike their monthly stipend to at least Rs 30,000, in line with other states. They have temporarily paused their strike after a meeting with the Health Minister on July 26, who assured them of a forthcoming hike.
“We have put our strike on hold til 6 August, and until then, we won’t push for further demands. But if we don’t receive a response by then, we will resume our strike,” says Dr Raunak Yadav, an intern doctor at the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences.
Medical associations lend a helping hand
Representatives from various medical associations have shown support for the interns' cause.
The Indian Medical Association, All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA), and others have released statements and reached out to ministers to advocate for the students.
Dr Jitendra Singh, National President of AIMSA, says, “We met with the Principal Secretary of Health. We stand with the interns and, while it may take some time, we believe their demands will soon be met.”
However, Dr Dhruv Chauhan expresses concern over the delay in response from the UP government. He asks, “It has been a week since the interns had the meeting. What is taking them so long?”
He also highlights the stark disparity in stipend payments across different states, calling it unjustified.
“The difference is more than double. The excuse is that certain states have more medical colleges than others, but that is no justification since there are places with similar conditions where interns are being paid fairly,” he adds.
Dr Chauhan also sheds light on the conditions in private colleges, which is more dire. “In private colleges, interns don’t even get paid. While the colleges keep increasing the fees, they do nothing about paying their interns,” he says. Reports indicate that interns in private colleges are either unpaid or receive minimal wages, ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition from MBBS students from the Army College of Medical Sciences who claimed they were not paid for their internships, remarked, “Pay interns or don’t have internships.”
The court further directed the college to pay Rs 25,000 to each intern.
“Students in private colleges are threatened with failure if they protest, so they don’t voice their concerns. The stipend is crucial, and it is the basic right of students to stand up for themselves,” concludes Dr Chauhan.
