Stipend for medical students, PGs enhanced

The amounts were last revised in 2018

After three years, the State government has increased the stipend for medical interns, non-service postgraduates (PG) and higher-speciality students in government medical colleges in the State.

It was in 2018 that the government last revised the stipend paid to CRRIs (compulsory rotatory residential internees), non-service PGs of degree and diploma courses and higher-speciality (DM/M.Ch) students studying in government medical colleges. The government ordered an annual increase of ₹600 for CRRIs and ₹1,000 for non-service PGs/diploma/higher-speciality students.

The Resident Doctors’ Association had submitted representations to the Health Department, stating that the stipend paid to non-service PGs was lower than some State/Central government medical colleges, and had requested its revision. Non-service PGs, too, had requested the government for an increase in stipend.

Following this, the government decided to enhance their stipend and issued a government order dated July 29.

From a monthly stipend of ₹21,800, CRRIs will now get ₹25,000. Non-service PGs pursuing degrees were earlier paid ₹38,000 in the first year, ₹40,500 in the second year and ₹43,000 in the third year. They will now get ₹48,000, ₹49,000 and ₹50,000 for the first, second and third years respectively.

Those pursuing PG diploma courses were receiving monthly stipends of ₹38,000 and ₹40,500 for the first and second years respectively. The stipends have been increased to ₹45,000 and ₹47,500. The stipend has been increased from ₹43,000 to ₹50,000 for first-year higher-speciality students, from ₹46,500 to ₹52,500 for second-year students and from ₹48,000 to ₹55,000 for those in the third year. The government said an automatic annual increase of 3% would be allowed to previous year’s stipends.

The Tamil Nadu Medical Students’ Association thanked the Chief Minister, the Health Minister and the Health Secretary. “The G.O. has given us hope that our reasonable demands will be considered in future too,” M. Keerthy Varman, president of the association, said.

He said a welfare board should be constituted to address the issues faced by resident doctors and medical students.