Rs 22k stipend proposed for MBBS, BDS interns in Maharashtra, no decision yet for BAMS students

Nagpur: Bringing good news to the medical and dental students in Maharashtra, the State Government is planning to increase their stipend from Rs 11,000 to Rs 22,000.

Issuing a letter on October 15, the Commissioner of Medical Education and AYUSH informed about this development. The proposal in this regard has been submitted to the Secretary of the Department of Medical Education and Drugs. 

While the MBBS and BDS interns are happy with this decision and want this to be implemented immediately, the Ayurveda Interns are upset as they have been left out of this consideration.

"There is anger among Ayurveda interns as there is no provision for BAMS intern doctors in the said proposal. In 2020 too, Government Ayurveda resident doctors were initially exempted from the pay hike. Hence there is a fear of repetition of the same history among intern doctors," Dr. Shubham Bobade, the Divisional Secretary of the National Integrated Medical Association Student Forum, Maharashtra mentioned in a Press Release.

At present, the medical and dental interns in Maharashtra get Rs 11,000 per month as their stipend. When compared with other States, this amount of stipend for MBBS and BDS interns is significantly lower in Maharashtra.

In States like Karnataka, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Pondicherrt, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, the MBBS interns get a monthly stipend ranging from Rs 26,000 to Rs 32,000.

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Even in Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, where the amount of stipend is pretty low, the interns receive Rs 12,000 per month. Therefore, the amount of stipend in Maharashtra is currently lower than most. The stipend amount was last revised in Maharashtra back in 2019.

Therefore, the medical interns have welcomed this consideration on the part of the government. Commenting on the matter, the Vice-President of the Association of State Medical Interns Dr. Atharva Shinde said that the proposal must be approved immediately. He told TOI, "On an average interns in the country get ₹21,000, so we are happy with the proposed hike."

Meanwhile, the Director of Medical Education and Research, Dr. Dileep Mhasaikar informed the Times of India that if the Government gives its nod for the hike, a proposal and GR will be issued in this regard. The proposal has now been forwarded to the Ministry of Medical Education.

However, the Ayurveda students in the State are not happy with this development as they have been left out of the proposal. Dr. Shubham Bobade pointed out that as per the State Government resolution dated May 26, 1981, the MBBS intern doctors and BAMS intern doctors are "equivalent" and it is mandatory to give them equal stipend.

He further pointed out that just like MBBS and BDS interns, the Ayurveda interns are also required to provide their service in the hospitals. They undergo training in Ayurveda College Hospital for 6 months, District Hospital for 3 months, and another 3 months at Primary Health Centers.

"Stepmother treatment with Ayurveda students is not new in the state now. Earlier, while it was expected to increase the stipend of all government resident doctors in the state, only the stipend of medical and dental resident doctors was increased. The government had conveniently left only Ayurveda resident doctors. After the Ayurveda resident doctor went on strike, the stipend was increased by ten thousand rupees. The same is likely to happen with Ayurveda inter doctors. The Ayurveda student feels that the government is doing disparity. Therefore, Ayurveda resident and inter-doctors have to go on strike frequently. Hence there is dissatisfaction among Ayurveda students across the state," said Dr. Bobade.

"Specially, government doesn’t provide hostel during internship period. They have to stay out at their own expense. Most of the student studying in government colleges come from rural areas, so the students suffer a lot financially. How to live for a month in eleven thousand rupees, is the question in for these intern doctors," he further added.

Currently, the Ayurveda interns belonging to the Government institutes in Maharashtra receive Rs 11,000 as their monthly stipend.

Also Read: No Stipend but Rs 5000 Internship Fee for Private BAMS Students in Maharashtra, NIMA Urges State Govt to Reconsider