Stipend hike approval for MBBS, BDS interns pending with finance dept: JnK govt

Srinagar: The long-pending demand for a stipend hike for MBBS and BDS interns was taken up by the Jammu and Kashmir Government in the Legislative Assembly, where it clarified that the proposal is still awaiting approval from the Finance Department.

Replying to a question raised by MLA Salman Sagar and Starred AQ No. 1108 tabled by MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma, the Minister in charge of the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department informed the House that a committee constituted in 2023 had recommended increasing the monthly stipend from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000.

The Minister also clarified that while the question referred to a proposed hike to Rs 26,350 per month, the committee had recommended Rs 25,000 for MBBS and BDS interns.

Also read- Doctors Urge JnK Govt to Increase Stipend for MBBS Interns

The committee was constituted vide Government Order No. 538-JK (HME) of 2023 dated June 27, 2023, under the chairmanship of the Director Finance, H&ME. Its recommendations were examined under e-office file No. 26494 and later forwarded to the Finance Department for concurrence.

However, the Finance Department sought additional details and clarifications multiple times. According to the Minister, the queries were sent to the concerned colleges, which provided the required information. The responses were examined and resubmitted accordingly.

The Minister further informed that during a meeting held on June 24, 2024, the committee also decided to propose a stipend hike for postgraduate (PG) and Diplomate of National Board (DNB) students across medical and dental colleges in the Union Territory.

The government stated that the proposal has already been submitted to the Finance Department and that a formal order will be issued only after financial concurrence. No timeline has been specified for implementation, reports Kashmir Life. 

Currently, the MBBS interns in the Union Territory receive Rs 12,000 per month as their stipend. For a long time, doctors have been demanding a stipend hike for the MBBS interns in Jammu and Kashmir.

Expressing disappointment, the All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA) has written to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir seeking urgent intervention in the matter. 

In its letter, the association stated that although the committee recommended the hike in 2023, the Finance Department had linked the approval to a proposed fee increase of up to 60% of the enhanced stipend amount. Subsequently, the H&ME Department sought suggestions from principals of Government Medical Colleges during 2024–2025, who recommended a fee increase of only 10–20%. The proposal was approved by the Health Minister in October 2025 and resubmitted.

However, the Finance Department returned the stipend enhancement file of MBBS and BDS interns (File No. 26494), citing incomplete inputs from the H&ME Department.

AIMSA stated that the delay in approval has caused financial stress and demoralisation among interns and resident doctors. The association urged the administration to expedite the Finance Department’s concurrence and ensure early issuance of formal orders for the stipend hike.

"It is pertinent to mention that the Finance Department itself clubbed the issue of postgraduate doctors’ stipend enhancement with interns’ stipend enhancement in June 2024, despite the committee recommendations being limited to interns only. This action has unnecessarily delayed the already proposed stipend enhancement for interns and is widely perceived as a tactical measure that further stalled the process," the association stated. 

The association further said that interns and resident doctors form the backbone of the healthcare system and are working under heavy workload and responsibility. It added that the prolonged delay has caused financial hardship and demoralisation among young doctors.

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