Bihar: MBBS interns at PMCH demand hike in stipend, disrupt OPD services

The protesting medicos are demanding that their monthly stipend be revised from ₹20,000 (approximately) to ₹40,000.

MBBS interns of state-run Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Friday threatened to intensify their protest by disrupting out-patient department (OPD) services if their monthly stipend was not increased, according to the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA).

For representational purposes only. (Bloomberg)

The protesting medicos are demanding that their monthly stipend be revised from ₹20,000 (approximately) to ₹40,000. The interns claimed the state government had last revised their monthly internship allowance in 2022, with an assurance to revise it again after three years, but had not done it so far.

Around 200 medical students doing MBBS internship at the PMCH, and some doctors expressing solidarity with them, wore black armbands to work on Friday to protest the state government’s alleged delay in the revision of monthly stipend.

“As a next step, we may intensify our protest and close OPD services across all medical colleges of Bihar from Tuesday, which could severely impact healthcare services in the state, if the Bihar government continues to ignore our demands,” a statement from the JDA said, adding that Friday’s demonstration was peaceful.

The medicos claimed their stipend was less in comparison to other states. Disparity in stipend existed even with the autonomous government institutes within the state like the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) and the Centre’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), both in Patna.

While MBBS interns at IGIMS get a monthly stipend of ₹30,000 (approx.), those at AIIMS get ₹32,000. However, around 1,270 MBBS interns across 10 other medical colleges under the Bihar government get a monthly stipend of around ₹19,600. West Bengal ( ₹43,000) and Odisha ( ₹40,000) also offer more to their interns, said a protesting student, requesting anonymity.

As of 2025, Bihar has 2,965 MBBS seats across 22 medical colleges, of which 13 are government-run, having 1,615 MBBS seats, and nine are private institutions, which offer 1,350 MBBS seats.

The JDA, which has been pursuing its cause over the last one month, had written to the state health brass on August 18.

“We have not received any response despite repeated appeals, including formal letters to the health minister and the health secretariat,” the JDA said.