New Delhi: More than 1,000 MBBS students and interns from various government medical colleges across Punjab are protesting against frequent hikes in course fee by the state and demanding an increase in their monthly stipend.
The discontent has been brewing since 2020, when fee for the 5.5-year MBBS course (including one year compulsory internship) was hiked by a steep 77 percent in government colleges—from Rs 4.4 lakh to Rs 7.8 lakh. Since then, the state has continued to increase the fee by 5 percent annually.
According to the protesting interns, the government policy has placed a growing financial burden on them, especially those from economically weaker backgrounds, which is made worse by the fact that their stipend remains stagnant at just Rs 15,000 per month.
Punjab’s stipend amount is the lowest among neighbouring states: Haryana pays Rs 24,300 monthly, Himachal Pradesh Rs 20,000, Chandigarh Rs 30,070 and Delhi Rs 30,000.
The protesters argue that despite rising costs and longer working hours, Punjab’s support for its young doctors remains inadequate. Resident doctors in various government colleges have also lent their support to the student protests.
“I’ve taken up a part-time job elsewhere because I simply can’t manage on this stipend,” said an MBBS intern from Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, speaking to ThePrint on the condition of anonymity. “My family already took a Rs 5 lakh loan to cover my fees. I can’t put them under more financial stress.”
The student had joined the college in 2020, the year the fee was hiked.
Since then, the fees have continued to rise every year: in 2021, it increased to Rs 8.21 lakh (up 5.2 percent), followed by Rs 8.6 lakh in 2022 (up 4.7 percent), Rs 9.05 lakh in 2023 (up 5.2 percent), Rs 9.50 lakh in 2024 (up 5 percent) and Rs 9.98 lakh in 2025 (5.05 percent).
In contrast, tuition fee for the MBBS course in neighbouring states remains significantly lower—around Rs 3.19 lakh in Himachal Pradesh and Rs 4.5 lakh in Haryana for government colleges.
Over five years, the cumulative fee hike in Punjab has crossed Rs 5 lakh with the stipend remaining constant which, the interns say, is “unfair”.
“There has been a 5 percent increase in fees every year since 2020. The protest is more about the demand for an increased stipend, which has been taken up with the Finance Department,” Kumar Rahul, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Punjab, told ThePrint over WhatsApp.
ThePrint also reached out to Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh over call, but no response was received. The Director of Research and Medical Education refused to comment on the matter.
Indian Medical Association (IMA) national spokesperson Dr. Dhruv Chauhan questioned the logic of charging fees equivalent to private colleges despite students clearing a national-level government exam like NEET. “What’s the point of qualifying such a tough exam if the state government demands private college-level fees?”
He added that when such high fees are being charged, the least the government can do is offer a fair stipend—instead, what’s given is “as low as that of a bonded slave.” Chauhan also criticised the imposition of a bond system on young doctors, calling the entire approach “mental torture for aspirants” and a move that is damaging the country’s healthcare system.
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‘Why not increase the stipend?’
The protests first began on 7 May, with students sending multiple letters to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Governor, the Directorate of Research and Medical Education, and the Finance Department.
However, they got no official response. Another letter was sent on 13 May, but when that too went unanswered, the students and interns intensified their protests across various government medical colleges, including GMC Faridkot and GMC Patiala.
“We began with gate rallies from our college to the hospital, followed by candle marches and sit-in protests,” Gurpreet, an intern at GMC Faridkot, told ThePrint. “Despite our peaceful demonstrations, there was still complete silence from the authorities, so we took the protest online as well.”
On 10 June, a delegation of protesters met with Dr Balbir Singh, Rahul Kumar, and the Director of Research and Medical Education at the cabinet office in Chandigarh.
According to the students present at the meeting, officials informed them that a proposal regarding stipend revision and the state’s new (compulsory service) bond policy had been sent to the Union Finance Ministry, but no action would be taken until the bypolls in Ludhiana were over.
The election results were declared Monday.
“Elections are over, the results are out, yet the government has done nothing to address our demands,” said Dr Archit Bawa, an MBBS intern from GMC Amritsar.
Another protester, Nishant, an MBBS intern from GMC Patiala, told ThePrint: “We worked hard to secure a government seat. If this is the situation in public institutions, what hope do we have from the private sector?”
“Not just the tuition fee, we still have to cover hostel and mess expenses, all while surviving on a consistently low stipend. If they want to increase the fee, then why not the stipend too?” he asked.
Despite working 12-hour shifts, the interns are continuing their demonstrations. They have warned that if their demands remain unaddressed, they may be forced to suspend their duties.
“We don’t want it to come to that, but if the government continues to ignore us, we’ll have no choice,” Nishant told ThePrint.
The bond policy
The budding doctors have also registered their protest against the bond policy introduced on 13 June for new entrants in government medical and dental colleges in Punjab.
Under it, starting from the 2025-2026 academic session, students enrolling in government medical and dental colleges need to either serve in state-run healthcare facilities for two years after completing their degree, or pay a penalty of Rs 20 lakh.
The protesters say the move, aimed at addressing the shortage of medical professionals in public health institutions, places an unfair burden on students.
The bond policy also applies to students admitted through the all-India quota, but with a shorter service requirement—one year instead of two, as mandated for state quota students.
Medical Student Association, Punjab, has demanded immediate removal of the policy.
“It has turned the dreams of MBBS and BDS students into a nightmare for 2025-26 session. We have been protesting on the streets, this has to stop. It feels like the government is stomping on our dreams,” reads a memorandum submitted to the government by the student delegation, seen by ThePrint.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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