JNIMS students stage sit-in protest demanding stipend hike for interns

Students of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) today staged a sit-in protest on the campus demanding revision and enhancement of the stipend for intern students, which has remained unchanged for the past decade.
Speaking to reporters, Laishram Lenin, President of the JNIMS Students’ Union, said that the stipend for interns has not been revised since 2015. He recalled that a representation for the increment was submitted two to three years ago, but the demand has not been addressed.
At present, the stipend for JNIMS interns stands at Rs. 15,120 per month, which the students described as significantly lower compared to other states. Lenin pointed out that in Assam the stipend is around Rs. 37,000, while in Karnataka it is around Rs. 30,000. The protesting students have demanded that the amount be raised to at least Rs. 30,000 to ensure parity with counterparts elsewhere.
JNIMS currently has 150 intern seats. The protesting students asserted that they will continue their agitation until their demand is fulfilled.