The Uttar Pradesh government has doubled the monthly stipend for MBBS and BDS interns in government medical colleges and medical universities across the state.
The stipend has been increased from Rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. The decision was approved by the state Cabinet during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday.
This is the second increase in the internship stipend under the Yogi government. In 2021, the monthly stipend was increased from Rs 7,500 to Rs 12,000.
Who will receive the new stipend?
The increased amount will be applicable to students who have completed their MBBS or BDS examinations and are undergoing their compulsory rotatory internship in government-run medical institutions.
During the internship, students work alongside doctors and other healthcare staff. They assist with patient care in wards, outpatient departments (OPDs) and emergency services. Interns are also assigned night duties as part of their training.
The government said the increase will provide financial support to interns as they complete their practical training. It is also expected to encourage more interns to contribute to patient care in government hospitals.
Stipend hike follows interns’ protest
The decision comes shortly after MBBS interns from several government medical colleges held a protest demanding an increase in their stipend.
The protest took place at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) on August 22. Interns from KGMU, Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow, BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur and Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College in Meerut, among other institutions, participated in the demonstration.
The increase is also expected to bring Uttar Pradesh’s internship stipend closer to the levels offered by several other states and central institutions.
UP Cabinet approves 25 lakh tablets for youth
In another major decision, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the purchase of 25 lakh tablets under the Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme.
The tablets will be distributed free of cost to eligible young people pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and skill development programmes.
The state government has made a budget provision of Rs 2,374.60 crore for the scheme in 2026-27.
The tablets are expected to help students access digital learning material, online courses, government schemes, employment opportunities and self-employment services.
Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the initiative will support young people studying in higher education, technical and health education, skill development programmes and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
