Stipend Hike: Nursing interns at Delhi AIIMS to now get Rs 13150

New Delhi: Nearly a year after the Union government released an order revising the stipends for nursing interns at nursing colleges associated with central government hospitals, the nurses finally have a moment to rejoice after the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi increased the stipend rate of the nursing interns. 

The monthly remuneration given to the nursing interns has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 13,150, stated an order released by the AIIMS administration.

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The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare directed the revision of the stipend paid to the nursing interns through an order in July 2022. The ministry had stated that the nursing interns should receive 50 per cent of the remuneration received by MBBS interns, which is Rs 26,300. 

The order read, "The president, AllMS, New Delhi has been pleased to enhance the rate of stipend being paid to the B.Sc. (Nursing) students during the six-month period of their internship from Rs 500 per month to Rs 13,150 per month (i.e 50% of the existing rate of stipend/internship to MBBS interns of Rs 26.300 per month) and this order would be effective from the date of issue of Ministry orders i.e 06.07.2022." 

Welcoming the order, Harish Kajla, president of the AIIMS Nursing Association said, "Even though the order by the central government to revise the stipend amount was implemented at another AIIMS, nurses here continued to be paid only Rs 500 which was unjust and disrespectful." 

Speaking to the New Indian Express, a senior official said, "Instead of using the term internships, here the nursing graduates are given clinical duties. This is why the order could not be implemented despite the clear directions from the ministry. However, the administration took cognizance and implemented the order." Technical difficulties were cited as the reason behind the AIIMS administration's delay in implementing the government order. 

The nursing associations expressed concern about the non-implementation of the government order in other hospitals, thus affecting the nursing interns employed in Delhi government-run hospitals. The All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF) stated that there is a non-cooperation between the centre and the city government due to which the nurses are unable to benefit from it. 

The Federation stated that the Union ministry has not notified the states and other union territories about it, and hence it is only limited to centre-run hospitals. Anita Panwar, president, AIGNF said, "This order of hike in stipend is not implemented by the Delhi government. The officials give the excuse that they have not been intimated by the Union Health Ministry while the officers tell us that the order is in the public domain and the city government can download it from the official website of the ministry." 

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