Even as the junior doctors in Andhra Pradesh have withdrawn from attending to emergency services in government teaching hospitals on the eighth day of their strike, the State government has reiterated that it is not inclined to implement their demand for continuation of the 15% biannual stipend hike.

In a release issued by the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare on Monday, August 17, the government has cited the “current financial situation” of the State to decline their demand. And instead, as stated earlier, the government is proposing an annual hike of a smaller sum.

Members of the A.P. Junior Doctors’ Association and also A.P. Government Doctors’ Association have rebuffed the proposal, stating that a token increase in their stipends would be an insult to the whole medical fraternity.

Govt. spending on stipends

According to the release, the State government is spending approximately ₹48.84 crore every month and around ₹586.08 crore annually on stipends for a total of 9,501 MBBS and Bachelor of Dental Surgery(BDS) interns, PG students, super-speciality students, MD (Doctor of Medicine) and DNB (Diplomate of National Board) trainees.

As per the rates effective from January 1, 2024, MBBS and BDS interns receive ₹25,906 per month. First-year PG students receive ₹60,823, second-year students ₹61,528 and third-year students ₹64,767. Super-speciality students receive between ₹80,500 and ₹85,100 depending on the year of study. Stipends for MDS, DNB and other PG courses vary according to the course and year.

The government has stated that a 15% increase would result in an additional annual expenditure of approximately ₹87.91 crore. A 3% increase would cost an additional ₹17.58 crore, a 5% increase ₹29.30 crore and a 10% increase ₹58.61 crore annually.

The stipend hike for junior doctors should have happened in January, 2026 and there has been a delay of around eight months this year, doctors said, and pointed out that even in 2024, they had to stage protests to receive a hike in accordance with the G.O. Ms. No. 287, issued in 2009.

As the junior doctors across the State escalated their strike from Monday, the government has asked private medical colleges to depute doctors to government medical colleges to ensure uninterrupted services. The Health Department has also directed hospitals to prepare emergency duty schedules with senior faculty members, senior residents and consultants.

Published - August 17, 2026 07:32 pm IST