Demanding Rs 15000 monthly internship, shifted MBBS interns threaten strike in Punjab

The shifted medicos recently cleared their final professional exams on 10 April 2021 and started their internship under Punjab Medical Council (PMC) from 12 April 2021. However, the intern doctors didn't receive their internship for their first month.

"We are performing all the medical duties like front warriors and at least expect from the government to not discriminate with us", another agitating student told the daily.

The shifted students of Gyan Sagar Medical College and Chintpurani Medical College also submitted a letter to the Governor of Punjab seeking provision of stipend to the 250 shifted students of the MBBS 2016 batch.

Explaining the scenario in the letter, the intern doctors stated that the medicos of Gian Sagar Medical College were shifted to the various medical colleges of Punjab affiliated to Baba Farid University of health and sciences, Faridkot. Their MBBS course started on 3rd October 2016, and due to the failure of the Management Committee, the college was shut down on 31 January 2017 i.e. only after four months of working.

Moreover, the essentiality certificate was also withdrawn after that. The students were then shifted ta various medical colleges on 13 June 2017 on a merit basis under orders given from the Hon'ble High court of Punjab. "Therefore since 15" June 2017 onwards we have been regularly attending our respective colleges along with other students of the same. We have paid the fees for 5.5 years in our shifted colleges and that too triple the amount as compared to other students", stated the protesting interns.

As far as Chintpurni Medical college is concerned, the intern doctors stated that the college was officially closed down due to the withdrawal of the essentiality certificate on 01.11.2017. The students were shifted to other government and private medical colleges on the basis of merit in the counselling help by BFUHS on 18.12.2018 and just like Gian Sagar medicos, they also had to pay fees for 5.5 years.

After facing so much hardship, the medicos joined their internship work after their final exam. In the letter, the medicos mentioned, "In the fast 4.5 years, we have taken all our professional exams in our respective shifted colleges from 1 year to final year. Since our start of the internship, we have been doing an equal amount of work as other students. We have been doing our duties diligently and honestly even under the rising COVID pandemic and exposing ourselves to the threat without getting paid for the same. During the counselling for our shifting by BFUHS, there was nowhere mentioned that we will not be given a stipend and neither signed any undertaking for the same."

Stating that they have been working as "front line workers" in this need of emergency due to COVID pandemic and hence also demanded same amount stipends as their fellow batchmates.