Srinagar, Oct 20: Medical interns across Jammu and Kashmir hospitals have resumed their strike demanding an increase in their monthly stipend, alleging that the government has failed to issue a formal order despite repeated assurances.
On Tuesday, interns at various medical colleges across the Union Territory held a candlelight march, reiterating that they would continue their agitation until the government issued a written order implementing the stipend hike.
President of the All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA), Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, said the interns wanted the government to issue the formal order without further delay.
“No written order, no end to the strike,” Dr Khan said, adding that repeated assurances from the authorities had failed to inspire confidence among the protesting interns.
The agitation intensified after the expiry of the stipulated 30-day period without the issuance of the promised government order
Referring to government record notes dated September 4 and 9, 2026, the interns said the authorities had committed to finalising the matter within 30 days but had failed to meet the deadline.
The protesting interns maintained that the issue was no longer about holding meetings or receiving assurances but about implementing a commitment that had already been made in writing.
Dr Khan said the interns appreciated the confirmation regarding the proposed stipend enhancement but stressed that the association could not call off the agitation solely on the basis of an announcement.
He said the interns had received similar assurances in the past and were now seeking a formal government order clearly specifying the implementation of the enhanced stipend.
On September 8, the Jammu and Kashmir Government had stated that the stipend of MBBS and BDS interns, who had been on strike for more than a week, would be finalised within a month based on the recommendations of the Stipend Enhancement Committee.
The assurance came after a delegation of medical interns from various medical colleges across J&K met Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo and sought an enhancement in their monthly stipend.
However, the interns had initially rejected the proposed one-month timeline and continued their agitation, insisting that the enhancement be formally notified through a government order.
The interns have been demanding an increase in the monthly stipend paid during their one-year mandatory internship after completing their MBBS or BDS degrees.
In July last year, the Health Minister had stated that the stipend would be increased “very soon” and that the file was under process.
Since then, medical students and associations have repeatedly raised the issue with the authorities, pointing out that the stipend had not been revised for the past seven years.
The matter was also raised in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in February 2026. The government had acknowledged that a committee constituted in 2023 had recommended an enhancement, but the proposal was still awaiting the required financial concurrence.
