Good News: Stipend for MBBS, BDS Interns of Central Govt institutes increased

New Delhi: Through a recent notice, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced its decision of increasing the stipend of intern doctors in medical and dental colleges and hospitals of central universities from Rs 23,500 to Rs 26,300 per month.

This decision was taken by UGC in accordance with an order of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which had increased the stipend of MBBS interns of Central Government Institutions and hospitals last year.

Referring to this, UGC mentioned in the letter issued in October, 2022, "In continuation to this office letter of even number dated 08.03.2019 regarding Enhancement of Rate of stipend for interns in Central Government Institutes/ Hospitals w.e.f. 01.01.2018, the undersigned is directed to convey the approval of UGC for enhancement of the rate of stipend payable to interns of Medical/Dental colleges/ Hospitals of Central Universities from Rs 23,500/- to Rs 26,300/- (Rupees Twenty Six Thousand Three Hundred only) per month w.e.f. 01.01.2020 in reference to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare OM No. S.11014/02/2018-ME-I(FTS:3174397) dated 9th July, 2021."

"The expenditure involved shall be met from within the budget allocation under grant-in-aid Salary head (36)," the letter by UGC Under Secretary V Talreja added.

Medical Dialogues had last year reported about the Union Health Ministry's decision of increasing the stipend paid to the MBBS interns of Central Government institutes and hospitals to Rs 26,300 per month. Earlier medical interns at these institutes were receiving a stipend of Rs 23,500 per month.

Issuing an Office Memorandum (OM) dated July 9, 2021, the Ministry has directed the Director General of Health Services (DGHS); the Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC); the Secretary(Medical), Health and Family Welfare Department; the Director of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, Bhuwaneshwar, Patna, Raipur, Rishikesh and Bhopal to convey the enhancement of the rate of stipend being paid to interns in Central Government Institutes and Hospitals w.e.f 01.01.2020.

While the Ministry order was only limited to the Central Government run institutes such as Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), VMMC, Safdarjung Hospital etc, the University Grants Commission(UGC) has now announced about similar stipend hike for the interns of Medical/Dental colleges/ Hospitals of Central Universities as well.

UGC has sent the copy of the letter to the Registrar of Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and the Principal of University College of Medical Sciences.

Also Read: Hike: MBBS interns at Central Government Hospitals to now get Rs 26,300 stipend per month