BENGALURU: Resident doctors, postgraduate students and house surgeons in Karnataka - many of whom are on the frontlines of tackling the Covid-19 pandemic - have something to cheer about. The government has fulfilled their long-standing demand of a hike in their monthly stipends. The state government has issued an order hiking their stipends by 40 per cent. The last revision was five years ago.
On February 26, members of the Karnataka Resident Doctors’ Association met medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar regarding their demand, following which the minister instructed the department to prepare a detailed proposal. The hike was announced after Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa approved it.House surgeons who were paid `20,000 will now get `30,000, first year post-graduate students `45,000, second year students `50,000, and third year students will get `55,000.
The hike for first year super specialty students ranges between `40,000- `55,000, between `45,000- `60,000 for second year students, and between `50,000- `65,000 for third year students. Government doctors will get `60,000. This will benefit more than 6,000 medical students.