Veterinary interns’ strike enters Day 5

The indefinite strike by the Veterinary Students’ Union of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) entered its fifth day on Monday, with students continuing their protest outside the university’s hospital. In the evening, the students also organised a peaceful candle march to press for their demands.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of the union met Vice-Chancellor Dr JPS Gill, who assured the students that a meeting would soon be arranged with the state’s Finance Minister and that efforts were being made to reach a positive resolution. Following this assurance, the union decided to withdraw its earlier decision to suspend OPD services.

The Dean, the Head of the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex (TVCC), and the Dean Students’ Welfare (DSW) also addressed the protesting interns, reiterating their commitment to facilitate dialogue with the government authorities concerned at the earliest. Later, union representatives met the Deputy Commissioner, requesting intervention to ensure that their demands were addressed through direct engagement with the government.

Despite these assurances, the interns expressed disappointment that no representative of the Punjab Government had addressed their demands yet. They resolved to continue the indefinite strike until their demands were fulfilled.

The primary demand of the union is an immediate increase in the monthly stipend of BVSc and AH interns from Rs 15,000 to Rs 24,310. The students highlighted that stipends at neighbouring veterinary universities were significantly higher — LUVAS (Rs 24,310), RAJUVAS (Rs 22,000) and BHU (Rs 23,500). They further pointed out that BDS and MBBS interns in Punjab currently received Rs 22,000. The union said the stipend for veterinary interns at GADVASU was funded exclusively by the university and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), with no contribution from the Punjab Government.

Appealing directly to the state government, the Veterinary Students’ Union urged the Finance Minister to initiate immediate talks.

Union members also stated that the agitation would be intensified if their demands were not addressed without delay.