Now Reading: Paramedical students demand Rs 15,000 monthly stipend in Andhra
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Paramedical students demand Rs 15,000 monthly stipend in Andhra
Paramedical students staged a demonstration at Dr. NTR Health University of Health Sciences (Dr. NTRUHS) in Vijayawada on Thursday, demanding a minimum monthly stipend of Rs 15,000 for hospital work during internships…
Paramedical students staged a demonstration at Dr. NTR Health University of Health Sciences (Dr. NTRUHS) in Vijayawada on Thursday, demanding a minimum monthly stipend of Rs 15,000 for hospital work during internships and clinical training. The protest, led by the Student Federation of India (SFI), highlighted that students who enrolled in 2021 are still awaiting course completion, with four-year programmes extending beyond six years.
SFI state president P. Ramamohan and state secretary K. Prasanna Kumar said it was unfair that paramedical students, crucial to healthcare, receive no stipend. They also raised concerns over delays in examinations and result releases, which affect students' higher education, employment and competitive exam opportunities. The students submitted a memorandum to Dr. NTRUHS Vice-Chancellor P. Chandrasekhar, who assured that exam issues would be addressed and other concerns would be taken to the government.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Paramedical students, unlike nursing and medical interns, are not covered under any central or state stipend scheme, leaving them dependent on institutional discretion. The demand for Rs 15,000 a month is benchmarked against the minimum wages for skilled workers in Andhra Pradesh, set at roughly Rs 13,500 under the state's 2023 notification. The SFI's involvement gives the issue a political edge ahead of the 2029 assembly elections, but the real lever is the university's budget: Dr. NTRUHS funds come from state grants and student fees, and a stipend for all trainees would require a treasury allocation or a fee hike. The government's response, if any, will become clear when the university's next governing council meets, likely before December 2026.
Source: thehindu.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
