Doctors Flag Delay in MBBS/BDS Intern Stipend Enhancement, Seek Separate Financial Clearance

Jammu, April 23, KNT: The Democratic Medical Association (DMA), Jammu and Kashmir, has flagged delays in the enhancement of stipends for MBBS and BDS interns, alleging that the proposal has been held up due to its linkage with a separate proposal concerning postgraduate (PG) doctors.

In a formal communication addressed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Health Minister Sakeena Itoo, and the Finance Department, the association sought immediate intervention to grant separate financial concurrence to the interns’ stipend file.

The association said that while objections raised by the Finance Department had been addressed and the proposal submitted in full, the delay persists due to its coupling with the PG doctors’ stipend enhancement proposal.

According to DMA, a committee constituted under government order dated June 27, 2023, had recommended increasing the stipend of MBBS/BDS interns from ₹12,300 to ₹25,000 per month. The proposal, it said, was independently initiated and processed.

However, in June 2024, the scope of the committee was expanded to include PG doctors’ stipend enhancement, which, the association claims, has resulted in an unintended delay in approval of the interns’ revised stipend.

“In view of the above, it is earnestly requested that separate financial concurrence may kindly be granted to the MBBS/BDS interns’ stipend file, without linking it to the PG doctors’ proposal,” the association said in its representation.

The DMA emphasized that the interns’ proposal was independent and prior in nature, and should not be held up due to subsequent administrative changes or broader policy considerations.

The association urged the government to expedite the process, stating that delays in stipend enhancement are affecting medical interns who are part of the healthcare delivery system. [KNT]