Foreign Medical Graduate interns posted at government hospitals across Telangana intensified their protest outside the Directorate of Medical Education office in Koti on Wednesday, demanding a monthly stipend of Rs 29,792, payment of arrears pending since January and protection from punitive action over their agitation.
The interns have been protesting and boycotting routine duties since October 8. They are seeking parity with doctors who completed their medical education in India and want formal orders implementing the higher stipend for foreign medical graduates undergoing internship in state-run hospitals.
The protesting interns said they had submitted memorandums to senior health authorities on September 23 and October 9 but received no official response. They said the lack of action prompted them to stop attending routine outpatient and ward duties before demonstrating outside the DME office on Wednesday.
Their demands also include assurances that interns participating in peaceful protests will not face unfair extensions of their internship, additional duties or punitive attendance measures. The interns told the authorities that delayed stipends had created serious financial difficulties while they continued to be posted at government hospitals.
The group met Telangana Director of Medical Education Dr N. Vani during the demonstration and presented its demands. According to the report, Vani acknowledged the concerns but said more time was required to examine the matter and consult the concerned ministry. No decision on the requested stipend, arrears or protections was announced during the meeting.
The dispute has an operational dimension for government hospitals because the interns said they had boycotted routine outpatient and ward duties. The report does not provide details on the number of interns involved, the hospitals affected or any disruption to patient services. It also does not state whether alternative staffing arrangements have been put in place during the protest.
The immediate issue before the medical education authorities is whether orders can be issued to implement the requested monthly stipend and release the arrears pending from January. The interns are also awaiting a formal response on attendance, internship extensions and duty-related action while consultations with the concerned ministry continue.
