SRINAGAR: The indefinite strike by MBBS and BDS interns across Jammu and Kashmir entered its sixth day on Saturday, with the protesting interns continuing to press for an increase in their monthly stipend from Rs 12,300 to Rs 30,000.
The interns launched the strike on August 31, withdrawing from routine duties at government medical colleges and hospitals across JK. Their delegation includes representatives from GMC Srinagar, GMC Anantnag, GMC Jammu and SKIMS.
The interns have said the stipend has remained unchanged for nearly seven years, despite rising inflation, extended working hours and the clinical responsibilities involved in their internship.
Aaqib Ali Khan, a final-year MBBS student at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, said the protest would remain peaceful until the government takes a decision on their demand.
“The protest will continue peacefully until the government addresses our demand and provides the necessary financial concurrence to the committee-recommended proposal for enhancement of the stipend,” Khan said.
The protesters have also highlighted differences between the stipend paid to interns in JK and those in several other states and Union Territories, where interns receive higher amounts.
They have referred to a 2023 committee recommendation for raising the J&K stipend to Rs 25,000, which they said remains unimplemented despite the matter subsequently being discussed in the Legislative Assembly.
The demand has received support from political parties across the political spectrum as the government prepares to engage with representatives of the protesting interns.
JK Health Minister Sakina Itoo has assured the interns that the government will fulfil their demand for a stipend hike, saying the process of resolving the issue could take around one month.
Meanwhile, Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq, in a post on X, said the concerns of MBBS and BDS interns warranted “serious and urgent consideration”. He described the existing Rs 12,300 stipend as inadequate for young doctors working long hours and carrying significant clinical responsibilities.
The concerns raised by MBBS & BDS interns across J&K deserve serious and urgent consideration. A stipend of ₹12,300 is clearly inadequate for young doctors working long hours and carrying significant clinical responsibilities.
With a government-constituted committee having…
— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) September 5, 2026
Farooq said the delay in implementing the recommendation of a government-constituted committee was difficult to justify and urged the administration to engage with the interns and address their demand fairly and promptly, while ensuring that patient care was not disrupted.
