Vet varsity interns meet Minister Aman Arora, demand hike in stipend

A delegation of Veterinary Student Union met Cabinet Minister Aman Arora to discuss an increase in the internship stipend for Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry interns at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).

The delegation, comprising Dr Kamalpreet Singh, Dr Virat Kakkar, Dr Prabdeep Sahota, Dr Manavpreet Kaur and Dr Nishtha Piplani, presented the case for a stipend increment. The minister gave them a patient and encouraging hearing, acknowledging the legitimacy of the students’ demands.

The interns said that they received a stipend significantly lower than their counterparts in neighbouring states, including Rajasthan and Haryana, and therefore demanded an increase in their stipend to Rs 24,310 per month.

Furthermore, it was emphasised that while the Punjab Government had recently revised the internship stipends for MBBS and BDS interns in the state to Rs 22,000 per month, a similar revision had not been extended to veterinary interns.

In response, Arora appreciated the concerns raised and assured the delegation of his support. He said he had forwarded the representation to the Punjab Finance Minister for further consideration.