BHUBANESWAR: IN a bid to encourage medical graduates to opt for post graduation in pre and para-clinical courses, the Odisha Government on Tuesday hiked stipend of the students pursuing these courses in State-run medical colleges.The State Government also announced to provide additional financial assistance of Rs 18,000 per month to the pre and para-clinical PG students along with the stipend money.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena said it will be applicable to both in-service and direct PG students.
The provision for the financial assistance had been introduced for the first time following the approval of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, he said. According to the decision, first year PG students will now get a monthly stipend of Rs 48,302 instead of Rs 39,950 and second year students will be paid Rs 50,658 instead of Rs 41,899.Similarly, the stipend of third year students has been increased to Rs 53,014 from Rs 43,848.
Medical graduates studying pre-clinical courses in subjects like Anatomy, Physiology and Bio-chemistry and para-clinical courses in Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT), Pathology, Micro-Biology and Community Medicine will be entitled to the financial benefits.“Apart from the stipend money, the PG students will get Rs 18,000 each additionally now onwards. The financial assistance is expected to attract medical students, who were not keen earlier, to pursue the pre and para-clinical PG courses,” Jena added.
Earlier, the Health Department had enhanced the stipend of house surgeons working at all three medical colleges and hospitals from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. It was given effect retrospectively from April 1 last year.