HYDERABAD: Postgraduate medical students at Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences staged a protest on Tuesday, alleging non-payment of stipends and inadequate basic facilities on the campus.
The protesting students said they had been repeatedly bringing their grievances to the notice of the college management for the past 10 days, but no action had been taken. They alleged that the delay in stipend payments had caused severe financial hardship, affecting their ability to meet daily expenses and academic requirements.
Apart from the pending stipends, the students complained of the lack of safe drinking water, poor hostel conditions, inadequate sanitation and deficient basic infrastructure. They alleged that the management had ignored repeated representations and failed to address their concerns.
Some students, who did not wish to be identified, also claimed they were under pressure not to speak publicly about the issues, alleging that the management’s political influence had created an atmosphere of fear. They said many resident doctors were reluctant to lodge formal complaints due to concerns over possible retaliation.
Stating that they had exhausted all other options, the postgraduate students launched the protest demanding the immediate release of pending stipends, improvement of hostel facilities and the provision of essential amenities on the campus.
Extending support to the agitating students, the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) and the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) Telangana demanded the immediate disbursal of stipends as approved by the competent authorities. They also sought a comprehensive inspection of the institution by the authorities to verify the grievances raised by the resident doctors.
The associations further called for the immediate rectification of deficiencies related to hostel facilities, sanitation, drinking water, safety and other essential infrastructure. They demanded a written assurance that no postgraduate resident doctor would face harassment, coercion or victimisation for peacefully raising legitimate concerns, and sought strict action against those found responsible if the allegations are found to be true.
