'12k too low': FMGs urge UP govt for stipend hike

New Delhi: The foreign medical graduates have urged the Uttar Pradesh Government to increase the stipend for medical graduates from abroad who are undergoing internship in the State.

Currently, the FMGs undergoing internship get Rs 12,000 per month as their stipend. Pointing out that the stipend for FMG interns in Bihar was recently raised to Rs 27,000 per month, the All FMGs Association (AFA) has demanded an increase in the stipend amount in Uttar Pradesh as well.

Highlighting the issue, AFA mentioned in an X post, "I respectfully request @CMOfficeUP @myogiadityanath @brajeshpathakup ji to consider increasing the stipend for intern doctors in Uttar Pradesh, as it is currently lower than the daily wage for laborers and neighbor states."

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that, offering respite to the MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH interns in Bihar, the State Government announced a stipend hike. The State Government announced that the MBBS, BDS, Ayurvedic, Unani, and Homoeopathy Interns in the government medical colleges, Patna Dental College and other institutes across the State would get Rs 27,000 per month. Previously, they used to get Rs 20,000 per month as their stipend.

Also Read: Bihar Govt approves stipend hike: MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, FMG interns to get Rs 27k per month

Apart from this, the State had also announced to give a Rs 27,000 monthly stipend to the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) undergoing mandatory internship in the State's Government Medical Colleges.

Referring to this, Dr. Kaushal from All FMGs Association (AFA) told Medical Dialogues, "Although Uttar Pradesh is more developed than Bihar and some neighbouring states, they still offer only 12k to their MBBS interns, which includes FMGs and IMGs interns. Recently, Bihar has raised the stipend from 20 to 27k. Delhi is already paying a nearly 30k stipend. States like Odisha, Assam, and West Bengal pay nearly 40k. But interns in Uttar Pradesh are getting such a low stipend."

"AFA urges CM and the health minister sir to respond on this matter and understand the need of interns doctors who work tirelessly and increase the stipend in Uttar Pradesh," he added.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Graduates in Uttar Pradesh have also been demanding a stipend hike. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that MBBS interns in Uttar Pradesh recently protested against this on the social media platform X. Currently, the medical interns in Uttar Pradesh receive Rs 12,000 per month as their stipend, which, the students have claimed, is the lowest stipend in the country.

Also Read: UP MBBS interns launch protest storm on X demanding stipend hike