Jammu: Medical interns across Jammu and Kashmir have suspended their strike after the Union Territory government assured them that their monthly stipend would be revised and enhanced within a month, allowing hospital duties affected by the protest to return towards normal.
The interns said the suspension should not be treated as a withdrawal of their demand. They are awaiting a formal government decision and have indicated that further action will depend on whether the promised revision is implemented within the stated period.
The protest involved MBBS and BDS interns at government medical institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. They had sought an increase in the monthly stipend, which they said was about ₹12,300, and argued that the amount did not reflect their workload, long duty hours or the compensation available to medical interns in several other parts of the country.
Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo intervened in the matter and gave the assurance on a stipend revision. The development followed notices issued by medical colleges during the agitation and discussions involving the interns and the authorities.
Interns perform supervised clinical duties across wards, emergency departments and other hospital units as part of their compulsory training after completing the academic requirements of their medical or dental degree. Their role is important to the functioning of teaching hospitals, particularly in facilities managing large patient numbers.
The agitation had drawn attention to both remuneration and working conditions. Participants said extended shifts and the cost of living had made the existing stipend inadequate. Their demand included parity with better-paying institutions and a system in which compensation is reviewed at reasonable intervals.
With the strike suspended, interns are expected to resume their assigned responsibilities. Hospital administrations will also need to address any disruption in duty rosters and ensure that patient services are stabilised without delay.
The immediate resolution reduces pressure on teaching hospitals, but the underlying issue remains open until a revised order is issued. An assurance creates a defined window for administrative processing, including examination of the financial implications and the stipend structures followed elsewhere.
A formal revision would apply only after the competent authority approves the amount and the relevant department issues an order. Until then, the interns’ present stipend and service conditions remain governed by the existing rules.
The episode has also highlighted the need for predictable communication between medical trainees, college administrations and the government. Early consultation on stipend, duty hours and training conditions can help prevent disputes from escalating to a stage that affects clinical services.
The interns have maintained that their protest concerned a service-wide issue rather than any single college. Their decision to suspend it gives the administration time to complete the promised process while keeping medical services operational.
Attention will now remain on the one-month period mentioned in the assurance. The outcome will be measured by the issuance of a clear government decision specifying the revised stipend, its effective date and the institutions and categories of interns covered by it.
