The Madhya Pradesh government announced a significant increase in the monthly stipend for MBBS interns, raising it by approximately 50 per cent, as part of a broader package of responses to a sustained protest by medical students that had severely disrupted public hospital services across the state.
The decision came after interns from multiple government medical colleges staged coordinated protests over the past several weeks, citing inadequate pay, poor living conditions, and heavy workloads without commensurate compensation. The demonstration, which intensified on Monday, September 7, saw students blocking hospital entrances, refusing to man duty posts, and holding rally after rally in the state capital, Bhopal, and other cities.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the previous monthly stipend stood at roughly Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000, depending on the college and year of internship. The new rate is expected to fall in the range of Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000, though the health department has not yet issued a formal government notification detailing the exact revised figures.
Alongside the stipend hike, the state government has ordered an administrative investigation into the conduct of law enforcement agencies during the September 7 protest. Internal documents indicate that water cannons were deployed against demonstrators, and several interns alleged that police used disproportionate force, including physical confrontation and lathi charges, on what was largely a peaceful sit-in outside the chief minister's residence and nearby hospital complexes.
The protest had a tangible impact on healthcare delivery. Multiple government hospitals reported severe staff shortages as interns, who form the backbone of daily clinical operations, withdrew from duties. Emergency departments, outpatient blocks, and surgical units were reportedly affected, with senior doctors forced to manage wards alone.
Medical education experts noted that intern stipends across India vary widely, with some states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala offering considerably higher amounts, while central government policies have long recommended a minimum standard that many states have failed to meet. The issue has gained renewed attention nationally following similar intern protests in other states in recent years.
The Madhya Pradesh government has yet to confirm whether additional demands — including better hostel facilities, fixed working hours, and grievance redressal mechanisms — will be addressed in a subsequent announcement.
