J&K approves doubling MBBS and BDS intern stipend to Rs 25,000

The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved a more than 100 per cent increase in the monthly stipend for medical and dental interns, raising their remuneration from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah cleared the file to implement the long-pending revision, directing the Health and Medical Education Department to issue the required notification immediately. The measure delivers substantial financial relief to young doctors across the Union Territory, lifting their annual earnings from Rs 1,47,600 to Rs 3,00,000.

Key figures behind the stipend revision

The revision follows recommendations made by a department-level committee formed in 2023, which proposed aligning intern remuneration with rising living costs and the demanding nature of public hospital duty.

Doctors seek written order before calling off strike

Despite the government's clearance, student representatives said they will continue an indefinite strike until the administration releases the formal government order.

The All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA) held candlelight marches on Monday evening across Government Medical Colleges and SKIMS Medical College Hospital in Bemina. Interns had pointed to earlier official minutes in September that set a 30-day timeline for resolving the revision, arguing that work would resume only once paper notifications are in hand.

AIMSA president Dr Mohammad Momin Khan said interns welcomed the movement on the file but required the administrative notification before returning to duty. The association had sought a revised rate of Rs 30,000 per month, citing nearly seven years without an adjustment.

Implementation timeline

Administrative officials said the formal notification was delayed by a public holiday on Tuesday and is scheduled to be issued on Wednesday, 21 October. Once published, the order will take immediate effect across all state-run medical and dental institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.

The substantial hike reflects the administration's broader push to strengthen healthcare delivery by improving working conditions for frontline hospital staff. With hospital rotas heavily dependent on house surgeons and interns, the resolution of the stipend structure secures operational stability across tertiary healthcare centres throughout the region.