MBBS and BDS interns at GMC Handwara held a peaceful candlelight protest today at Associate District Hospital, GMC Handwara, marking the fourth day of their ongoing agitation over their long-pending demand for an increase in their internship stipend.
The interns are seeking a monthly stipend of ₹30,000 and have urged the authorities to implement the pending Finance Committee recommendations regarding the stipend hike.
Carrying candles and placards, the protesting interns said they perform clinical duties and contribute significantly to patient care but continue to receive inadequate remuneration. They raised the demand for “equal work, equal pay” and a fair and uniform stipend structure for medical interns.
Advocate Majid Banday, AIP constituency head for Handwara, also joined the peaceful protest and extended his support to the interns’ demands. He appealed to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and the local government to intervene and resolve the issue at the earliest.
The interns said their agitation would continue until the amendment regarding the stipend hike is formally implemented and the monthly stipend is increased to ₹30,000. They urged the administration to take concrete steps and address their demands without further delay.
The Day 4 candlelight protest remained peaceful.
