Report of Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
On 23 July, approximately 1,200 MBBS interns and prospective interns marched from Hamidia Hospital to the Collectorate in Bhopal and submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister. Following their demand for a stipend increase, the interns began an indefinite strike at 2 pm on Friday.
MBBS interns of government medical colleges of Madhya Pradesh are on strike demanding an increase in stipend. The interns, who were boycotting medical work, raised slogans and put forward their demands in the hospital premises on Saturday. Peaceful bike rallies and demonstrations were organized in places like Bhopal and Sagar. Interns say that in Madhya Pradesh, they get a stipend of only Rs 14,337 per month during internship. The stipend should be increased to Rs 30,000 per month. They stated that Madhya Pradesh ranks 25th in the country in terms of stipend, but it is the 5th highest in terms of fees for medical education. In Delhi, the stipend is up to Rs 30,000, and in states like Odisha and West Bengal, up to Rs 44,000.
The protesting interns said that they perform the same responsibilities as interns from other states and have reached here by passing the same examinations, hence they should also get a respectable stipend.
For the past month, interns have been peacefully communicating their concerns to the government. During this time, memorandums were submitted several times to the Medical Education Department, the Finance Department, the Chief Minister’s Office, and public representatives. Some promises have been made, but no written assurance has been given so far. They say the protest will continue until the government announces in written form its decision to increase their stipend. The interns said that if the government makes a positive decision and provides written assurances soon, they will consider ending the protest.
What are the main demands?
• The current internship stipend of Rs 14,337 per month should be increased to Rs 30,000 per month.
• Implement pending amendments from April 2025.
• Equal and respectable stipend system should be implemented in all government medical colleges of the state.
Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) supports this struggle of aspiring doctors. After years of hard work and spending a lot of money, young people are earning their doctor’s degrees, but the struggle doesn’t end there. Interns shoulder a huge responsibility under the guidance of professional doctors. KEC has found that due to lack of basic resources and deliberately unfilled vacancies, doctors suffer from workload, sleep deprivation, stress, etc., and among them, interns are the most vulnerable. It is very worrying that doctors, who take care of the health of the society’s workforce, are unable to take care of their own health. They have been forced to go on strike for even the most basic needs.
The orientation of the present system must be turned away from profit and towards the common good, and this can only be possible in a workers’ state.