Medical interns stage protest in Bhopal, demand hike in monthly stipend

Medical college interns blocked roads and staged a sit-in in Bhopal over stipend demands and alleged police excess. The protest has intensified pressure on the Madhya Pradesh government over pay and accountability.The protest came after junior doctors demonstrated at the gate of the government-run Hamidia Hospital on Monday, when police used water cannons to disperse them. (Representative image)Medical college interns in Madhya Pradesh held a road blockade and a sit-in protest in Bhopal on Tuesday, demanding that their monthly stipend be raised from Rs 14,337 to Rs 30,000. They also sought Rs 1.5 lakh compensation for interns allegedly injured during police action a day earlier.The protest came after junior doctors demonstrated at the gate of the government-run Hamidia Hospital on Monday, when police used water cannons to disperse them. On Tuesday, the interns again took to the streets, saying their main demands were a higher stipend, compensation for the injured, and action against the policemen involved in the violence.According to the interns' delegation, there are 3,655 MBBS interns in government and private medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh, including 2,055 in government medical colleges. They said the annual MBBS course fee is about Rs 1 lakh, while interns get a monthly stipend of only Rs 14,337.They also claimed that interns in Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Rajasthan receive higher stipends despite relatively lower fees. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ayush Gupta told PTI Videos that discussions were underway on the interns' demands. Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, who also holds the Health portfolio, told reporters that positive discussions had taken place with the interns and that he was in touch with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.He said serious and positive talks had been held on both issues, the stipend increase and Monday's police action, and that the matter would be discussed again in the evening. Eyewitnesses said traffic was disrupted in the Kamla Park area as interns sat on the road. The protest at Hamidia Hospital also affected outpatient department operations, causing inconvenience to patients.Meanwhile, an official said an inquiry had been ordered into the use of water cannons during the protest, with Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar directing the probe in view of the seriousness of the matter. The protests on Tuesday kept the focus on the interns' twin demands for a stipend hike and accountability over the police action.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 8, 2026 20:59 IST