Stir over low stipend: Uttarakhand Govt medical college slaps notice to 25 MBBS interns

Written by Sanchari Chattopadhyay Published On 2021-06-26T09:45:52+05:30 | Updated On 26 Jun 2021 3:20 PM IST

Stir over low stipend: Uttarakhand Govt medical college slaps notice to 25 MBBS interns

Dehradun: Coming down on Uttarakhand MBBS interns protesting against the meagre stipend of Rs 250 per day, that is far less than minimum wages, the Hemwanti Nandan Bahuguna Government Medical College, Srinagar has served notices to 25 medical interns on disciplinary grounds.

A couple of days ago, the issue was raised by the almost 300 intern doctors of Doon Medical College, Srinagar, and Dr Susheela Tiwari Government Medical College and Hospital, Haldwani, who called the stipend of Rs 250 per day too less and meagre and held candle march to draw government's attention seeking to hike the stipend, that was revised last in the year 2011 and increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 7,500 per month.

In Uttar Pradesh, the medical interns get Rs 12500 per month, in Tamil Nadu and Telangana it is Rs 20000, Haryana and Himachal pay Rs 17000 while medical interns in All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi get Rs 28000 per month as stipend, whereas, medical interns in Uttarakhand just get Rs 7,500 per month.

The concern was raised by the medical interns of Uttarakhand, and gained support from the Federation Of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) that submitted a letter to Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, demanding immediate hike in the stipend while advocating "One Nation, One Stipend".

Also Read: With Stipend Of Rs 250 Per Day, Uttarkhand MBBS Interns Getting Far Less Than Minimum Wages

However, on June 24, 2021 the medical superintendent of the institution issued a notice to 25 medical interns that read,

"All of You (25 interns) have violated the conditions of your bond and Covid-19 duties by resorting to protests for stipend and giving statements in the media. This comes under catagory of serious indiscipline. Please explain why a day's pay should not be deducted from your monthly stipend."

Also Read: No Pay For Over 300 MBBS Interns Of Uttarakhand For Past 1.5 Month Amid COVID Duty

Calling the notice unfair, one of the interns stated, "We as doctors are well aware of the ongoing COVID crisis. It's our utmost duty to serve for the nation. We were on a protest after our duty hours that too outside the hospital premises.It didn't create any nuisance neither to the public nor to the hospital."

Meanwhile, CMS Rawat, principal of the medical college told The New Indian Express, "What they are doing is a stark example of indiscipline. These are Covid times and even if they are protesting while they are off duty this brings bad name to the institution. Proposal to increase the stipend has already been sent to the government."

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Source : with inputs

Sanchari Chattopadhyay

Sanchari Chattopadhyay has pursued her M.A in English and Culture Studies from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal. She likes observing cultural specificities and exploring new places.