Chandigarh: In a strong push towards improving education and healthcare standards, the Punjab Government has announced a substantial hike in monthly stipends for Interns, Junior Residents, and Senior Residents serving in government medical and dental colleges. Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema shared the details of the revised pay structure, emphasizing the state’s commitment to supporting future healthcare professionals.
Enhanced Stipend Structure
Category Previous Stipend New Stipend (Year 1) Year 2 Year 3
Interns Rs 15,000 Rs 22,000 — —
Junior Residents Rs 67,968 Rs 76,000 Rs 77,000 Rs 78,000
Senior Residents Rs 81,562 Rs 92,000 Rs 93,000 Rs 94,000
There are currently 907 sanctioned positions for Interns, 1,408 for Junior Residents, and 754 for Senior Residents in Punjab’s government medical and dental colleges.
Increased Financial Allocation
With these stipend enhancements, the state’s annual expenditure on medical and dental stipends is set to rise from Rs 204.96 crore to Rs 238.18 crore—an increase of approximately Rs 33.22 crore.
Government’s Commitment
Finance Minister Cheema reaffirmed that the government will continue to prioritize resource allocation for the education and health sectors. He noted that these measures align with Punjab’s broader vision of expanding access to quality medical education and strengthening healthcare delivery.
Highlighting recent public welfare initiatives, Cheema also referred to the state’s decision to provide Rs 10 lakh insurance coverage to every citizen. He assured that financial limitations would not impede sustained development and upgradation of health infrastructure and services in Punjab.