Amritsar: Resident doctors at GMC go on strike, get assurances

Resident doctors and MBBS students at Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, went on strike today, demanding an increase in their stipend. The strike is part of a coordinated protest at all three government medical colleges in Punjab, at Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot.

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The protesters argued that while MBBS tuition fees in Punjab have been increasing steadily every year, stipends have remained stagnant. Dr Archit Bawa, president of the Government Medical College Students’ Association, said, “Becoming a doctor in Punjab has become extremely difficult. The annual hikes have pushed government MBBS tuition fee to nearly Rs 10 lakh, excluding living and food expenses. On top of this, students are required to sign a Rs 20 lakh bond for two years. Despite such burden, the monthly stipend for MBBS interns is just Rs15,000.”

Dr Gurpreet Singh, president of the Resident Doctors’ Association, added that Punjab currently has the highest MBBS fees in India but offers one of the lowest stipends. The doctors have closed outpatient departments (OPD) as part of the protest, though emergency services remain operational. Dr Bawa stressed that this strike was the result of protests that repeatedly went unheeded. “We’ve protested peacefully and taken leave to raise our voice before, but the government has only given empty assurances,” he said.

After a day-long strike, a meeting with the authorities was held later in the evening. As per the outcome, the monthly stipend for MBBS interns has been increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 22,000, with increments also approved for Junior and Senior Residents. Additionally, the government agreed to constitute a committee to review the current MBBS fee structure and the contentious Rs 20 lakh service bond, with an official notification expected within two weeks. In light of these assurances, the protesting doctors called off their strike for the next two weeks, stating that further action will depend on the timely implementation of the promised reforms.