Srinagar- After prolonged protests and an indefinite strike, medical interns in Jammu and Kashmir will now receive a monthly stipend of Rs 25,000, with the government formally approving an increase from the existing Rs 12,300.
Following the decision, the All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA) announced the withdrawal of the ongoing strike by MBBS and BDS interns, saying the issuance of the formal government order had fulfilled the principal demand behind the agitation.
The Health and Medical Education Department issued Government Order No. 747-JK(HME) of 2026 on Wednesday, sanctioning the enhanced stipend for MBBS and BDS interns, including Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs), across the Union Territory.
According to the order, the revised stipend will take effect retrospectively from October 1, 2026.
“Sanction is hereby accorded to the enhancement of the monthly stipend payable to MBBS/BDS interns, including Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs), in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000 per month, with effect from 01.10.2026,” the order stated.
The order was issued by Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Health and Medical Education Department, Saugat Biswas, following a reference to the Finance Department’s communication dated October 20.
The increase of Rs 12,700 per month more than doubles the existing stipend and is expected to provide financial relief to medical graduates undergoing compulsory rotating internships at government medical colleges and other designated healthcare institutions across J&K.
The decision follows sustained protests by interns at Government Medical Colleges across Jammu and Kashmir and SKIMS Medical College, Bemina, who had been demanding a revision of their monthly remuneration in view of their clinical responsibilities, working hours and financial challenges.
The agitation intensified after interns alleged that the timeframe given in an earlier written assurance had expired without the issuance of a formal government order. They had maintained that the strike would continue until the stipend hike was officially notified.
AIMSA had also urged the government to complete the formalities without further delay, maintaining that verbal assurances were insufficient to end the standoff.
Welcoming the decision, the association expressed gratitude to government officials, political representatives and others who supported the interns during their campaign.
Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, president of AIMSA J&K, said the achievement belonged to all medical interns who remained united and continued to raise their voices for the fulfilment of their demand.
J&K intern doctors also acknowledged support from political representatives across party lines, bureaucrats and other individuals, including Aga Ruhullah, Waheed Para, Sajid Yousuf Shah, Nasir Sogami, Altaf Bukhari and Sunil Sharma.
With the interns’ demand now formally addressed, AIMSA said it would turn its attention to securing a stipend hike for postgraduate resident doctors pursuing MD, MS, MDS and DNB courses in Jammu and Kashmir.
The association said postgraduate residents were an essential part of the healthcare workforce and contributed significantly to patient care while undergoing specialised medical training. It indicated that their stipend concerns would now be taken up with the authorities.
