Jammu and Kashmir raises interns’ stipend to Rs 25,000

Jammu and Kashmir has formally raised the monthly stipend for medical and dental interns from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000, with the increase applying from October 1, 2026. The hike covers MBBS and BDS interns, including foreign medical graduates, across the Union Territory. The Health and Medical Education Department issued Government Order No. 747-JKHME of 2026 on October 21, following a reference to a Finance Department communication dated October 20. The order directs relevant departments and institutions to apply the revised amount. The Chief Minister’s Office also announced the increase. The formal notification followed a period of protests and a strike by interns seeking higher monthly payments. Earlier reports said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had approved the increase but that no written order had been issued by late evening. The department subsequently issued the order, making the revised rate official. Before the order was issued, interns said they would not return to work until they received written confirmation. Mohammad Momin Khan, president of the All India Medical Students’ Association Jammu and Kashmir, said the interns would continue their strike until the...