Jammu & Kashmir medical interns restart strike over unmet stipend raise

Medical interns across Jammu and Kashmir have resumed their strike after the state government failed to deliver on a promised increase in their monthly stipend. The protest began in September when interns walked out to demand higher pay, and the administration asked them to suspend the action for a month to consider the request. That 30‑day window elapsed without any order, prompting a fresh walk‑out on Tuesday, the 42nd day since the original deadline. Dr Faraz Ahmad, a medical intern, said the minutes of a meeting that included Health Minister Sakina Masood Itoo, Srinagar Government Medical College principal Dr Iffat and the Deputy Director of Planning recorded a commitment to settle the issue within thirty days. He added that interns were later humiliated at the Office of the Special Deputy (OSD) in the Civil Secretariat when they inquired about their file. A joint‑secretary of the All India Medical Students Association’s J‑K chapter, Mohammad Tasadduk Kawser, said a delegation that met the OSD, the health minister and the Director General of Finance was met with insulting remarks, including a claim that the government was doing them a favour by providing free medical education. Interns argued that their education is funded by taxpayers and that such comments demean the profession. They also pointed out that a written assurance of a resolution within thirty days was followed by an additional week of silence, with no implementation order. In response, the interns issued a strike call at every medical college and planned a candle‑light march for Tuesday evening, stating they will not return to work until a proper stipend increase is granted and their dignity respected.

Context

Stipend hikes for MBBS and BDS interns are a recurring demand in Indian states, as interns receive modest allowances while shouldering heavy clinical duties. Delays in meeting such promises often lead to protests that aim to pressure health authorities into action.