Promised in 30 days, pending after 42: J&K medical interns resume strike

Medical interns across Jammu and Kashmir resumed their strike on Oct 20, accusing the government of failing to implement its assurance to increase their monthly stipends within 30 days. The interns also announced a candle march to press for immediate action.

The interns had launched their agitation in September over the long-pending demand for higher stipends. On Sept 8, the government asked them to call off the strike and allow a month to resolve the issue.

However, the interns said the agreed deadline had passed without a decision or an official order, prompting them to restart their protest. They maintained that the government had committed to resolving the matter within 30 days during a meeting with representatives of the Health Department.

“The 30-day period — it was actually they who asked us for a 30-day timeframe. Even back then, we demanded an order, and today as well, we are demanding an order. Back then, we negotiated based on trust; we thought we should trust them,” medical intern Dr Faraz Ahmad said.

Ahmad said the meeting minutes recorded that the stipend issue would be finalized within the stipulated period. The meeting was attended by Health Minister Sakina Masood Itoo, Srinagar Government Medical College Principal Dr Iffat and the Deputy Director of Planning.

“Today is the 42nd day. Forty-two days have passed, yet the matter remains unresolved. On top of that, we faced humiliation yesterday at the OSD’s office in the Civil Secretariat. We had simply gone to ask about the status of our file,” he said.

According to Ahmad, medical interns across Jammu and Kashmir had decided to resume their agitation, with strike calls issued at every medical college. A candle march was also scheduled for Tuesday evening as part of the renewed protest.

“Until the medical interns receive proper compensation and value for their work, we will not work, and this strike will continue,” he said.

Interns allege humiliating remarks during meeting

The renewed agitation followed a meeting on Oct 19 between an intern delegation and Health Department officials to discuss the demand for increased stipends for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) interns.

After the meeting, the interns alleged that officials had made humiliating remarks instead of providing a concrete resolution. They also questioned the suggestion that the government was doing them a favor by providing medical education without tuition fees.

“Today, an intern delegation met the OSD to Health Minister Sakina Masood Itoo and the Director General of Finance over the long-pending stipend hike for MBBS/BDS interns of J-K. Instead of a concrete resolution, we were met with humiliating remarks. The OSD reportedly told us that the government was doing us a favour by providing free medical education,” Mohammad Tasadduk Kawser, joint secretary of the All India Medical Students Association’s J-K chapter, said in a post on X.

Kawser argued that public spending on medical education comes from taxpayers and should not be presented as a personal favor by ministers or bureaucrats.

“We earn our degrees through merit, sacrifice and relentless hard work,” he said.

He added that the interns had already waited beyond the government's promised timeline. Although they received an assurance that the matter would be resolved within 30 days, they said another week had passed without an official order implementing the stipend increase.

Medical interns demand immediate government order

Kawser described the alleged remarks as an insult to the medical profession and called for accountability from the officials concerned. He said the interns would not accept further assurances without a formal decision and its implementation.

“We will not trade our dignity for another hollow assurance. No more deadlines. No more empty words. We demand the order and its immediate implementation,” he said.

Kawser also criticized the conduct of the Officer on Special Duty (OSD), alleging that it reflected a lack of accountability in addressing the interns’ concerns.

Following Monday's meeting, the interns held a candlelight protest that evening. Their decision to resume the strike on Tuesday marked a renewed escalation of the dispute, with the interns demanding a formal government order on the stipend hike rather than another extension of the deadline.