Ganderbal, Sep 12 (KNO): The protest by veterinary interns of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K) Shuhama over their monthly stipend entered its sixth day on Saturday, with the students intensifying their agitation as their hunger strike entered the second day.
The protesting interns are demanding an increase in their monthly stipend from the existing Rs 6,000 to Rs 23,000, saying the present amount is inadequate to meet basic expenses and does not correspond with the responsibilities involved in their internship.
Speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Jammu and Kashmir Veterinary Students Association president Saqlain Rashid said the students had been protesting peacefully for the past six days but had received no concrete response from the authorities.
"Our stipend is only Rs 6,000, which comes to around Rs 200 per day. Students in several other states are receiving more than Rs 20,000. Our genuine demand is that the stipend should be brought at par with other states," he said.
Rashid said the students have to travel to different districts, states and remote areas during their internship, while also bearing the rising cost of living and other expenses. He said the file regarding revision of the stipend has remained pending with the authorities for several years.
"We have received verbal assurances, but nothing concrete has happened so far," he said, adding that some students had been observing a hunger strike for the past 48 hours, but alleged that no government representative had visited them.
He said opposition leaders, including MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, had visited the protesting students and assured them of support. "Aga Ruhullah Mehdi also visited and assured us that he would raise the issue in the upcoming Assembly session," he said.
Another protesting student, Adil Rehman War, a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-K, said the stipend of Rs 6,000 was fixed in 2011 and had not been revised despite the substantial increase in living and travel expenses.
"Today is the sixth day of our peaceful protest and the second day of our hunger strike. Some of our batchmates and seniors are also participating in the hunger strike," he said.
War said veterinary interns at institutions such as IVRI, BHU and Kamadhenu were receiving around Rs 23,500, while SKUAST-K interns continued to receive Rs 6,000.
He appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally look into the matter and said the students wanted a written assurance from the government regarding revision of the stipend. He also urged Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar to take up the matter with the concerned departments.
Another student, Toiba Bashir, said the protest had entered its sixth day while the hunger strike was continuing for the second day.
"Our simple demand is that our stipend be revised. It has not been revised since 2011, and it is now 2026," she said, adding that interns were required to travel within the university, to other districts and states, and to remote areas as part of their training.
"Do we not perform the same duties as students elsewhere? If we talk about one nation, why is there such disparity with us?" she asked.
The students said their demand was not merely for an increase in stipend but for a fair and uniform compensation structure in view of their clinical duties, practical training, travel requirements and professional responsibilities. They reiterated that the protest would continue until the government responds to their demand and provides a concrete assurance on revision of the stipend—(KNO)