Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has doubled the monthly stipend for MBBS and BDS interns to Rs 25,000 from Rs 12,300, following an agitation by medical interns across the Union Territory.
The Chief Minister's Office said the decision, effective October 1, 2026, also covers foreign medical graduates. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah approved the hike, which is aimed at providing financial support to young healthcare professionals.
The increase follows protests by MBBS interns seeking a higher stipend. Earlier, a protesting student in Jammu said the stipend had remained unchanged since 2019.
The revision nearly doubles the monthly amount and is among the larger stipend hikes announced for medical interns in recent years. Interns are posted in hospitals as part of their training and are paid a stipend during the period.
The Chief Minister is also scheduled to visit Anantnag on Thursday to review the district's developmental performance, inaugurate public projects and lay foundation stones for new works, according to his office.
The stipend decision comes amid a wider push to address the concerns of students and young professionals in the Union Territory. Medical interns had been pressing their demand through protests in recent weeks.
Medical interns are trainee doctors who serve in hospitals as part of their training, and their stipend had been a long-standing grievance. The decision follows weeks of protest by interns, and also covers foreign medical graduates. The revision is effective from October 1, meaning eligible interns may receive arrears as well. The stipend had not been revised since 2019, a protesting student said.