Katihar Medical College interns on protest demanding Rs 27,000 stipend, institute warns of debarment, Rs 5k stipend over failure to report for duty

Katihar: MBBS and Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) interns protesting over stipend revision at Bihar's Katihar Medical College and Hospital have been warned of a one-month debarment from internship training from September 19, 2026, if they fail to report for duty. The college has also warned that there will be a reduction in the monthly stipend of all interns to Rs 5,000 from September 2026 until further orders.

The college's warning follows the ongoing protest by interns undergoing Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) from the 33rd batch who raised concerns over their stipend of around Rs 10,000 per month. 

According to the protesting students, the amount makes it difficult for them to meet basic expenses, including study materials, internet, competitive examination preparation, and other necessary costs despite their long working hours. The interns then initiated a protest with demands for an increase in the stipend to Rs 27,000. They said that Rs 10,000 for 24 hours shift is unacceptable and demanded correction of attendance records for students who were allegedly marked absent despite being present and on duty.

Meanwhile, in a latest notice on September 18, 2026, the college authorities said that the interns continued their protest and blocked the main entrance of the New OPD building, causing difficulties for patients, attendants, faculty members, students and others visiting the hospital. The college has directed that MBBS students undergoing CRMI, including FMG students, who fail to report to their respective departments for duty on September 18 will be debarred from internship training for one month from September 19, 2026.

"The patient care services of the hospital are also being affected. Many patients have returned from the portico complex, seeing the Interns blocking the main passage and thereby assuming that the hospital services are not functional," the college administration said in the latest notice. 

Interns demand stipend increase

The interns of the 33rd batch of Katihar Medical College have demanded an increase in their monthly stipend from Rs 10,000 to Rs 27,000, alleging that the current amount is too low for them to meet the current economic conditions. 

In a representation dated July 9, 2026, addressed to the Chancellor of Al-Karim University, they said the one-year internship is an important stage of medical training after 4.5 years of MBBS studies and that they perform ward duties, emergency services, night duties, patient monitoring, assistance in medical procedures, and other routine hospital work, often for longer hours than normal office hours, and play an active role in maintaining health services. 

After handling the workload, they said that the current stipend makes it difficult to meet expenses for study materials, internet, competitive examination preparation, and other basic needs. 

Hence, they requested the university authorities to revise the stipend, as it would provide financial support and recognise the contribution of interns to patient care and hospital functioning. 

In a separate representation to the college authorities, the interns also raised the issue of students being marked absent despite being present and on duty. They said they had made multiple attempts to communicate with the concerned administrative authorities and submitted written applications and followed up personally through the proper channels, but no action had been taken on either the stipend increase or correction of attendance records. 

Citing the prolonged delay, the intern said they were left with no option but to take a collective step to draw attention to the issues and started their peaceful protest, boycotting work until their demands were met. 

College issued notices:

On September 17, the college, through a notice, had directed the protesting MBBS interns to clear the New OPD building's portico and resume their duties. Saying that the interns were protesting over an increase in stipend and issues related to daily attendance, while blocking the main passage used by patients and hospital staff, the college had asked them to raise their grievances through the proper channel and warned of administrative or disciplinary action if they failed to resume duties.

Noting that the interns continued their protest on September 18 despite a warning, the college authorities recently issued a second notice directing that all MBBS students undergoing CRMI, including FMGE students, who failed to report to their respective departments for duty today would be debarred from internship training for one month from September 19, 2026.

"The Interns have not joined back their duties despite giving sufficient opportunity vide notice dated 18-09-2026. Such act of Interns is against the medical ethics, arbitrary, ungenuine as such has been considered as serious misconduct. Therefore, all MBBS students undergoing CRMI (Internship) training including FMGE students who will not join their respective department for duties today, are hereby debarred from Internship training for a period of one month from 19-09-2026. Further, the stipend of all Interns is revised to Rs. 5,000/- (Rupees five thousand) per month with effect from September 2026 till further order," the notice dated September 18, 2026 mentioned.

Also read- Rajasthan FMG stipend row: Interns continue protest, demand written assurance from DME on SC order compliance