AYUSH Doctors In Erragadda Enter 11th Day Of Indefinite Strike Over Stipends

Around 1,000 AYUSH house surgeons and postgraduate scholars continued their indefinite strike for the 11th consecutive day at the Dr. B.R.K.R. Government Ayurvedic Medical College in Erragadda, Hyderabad. The protesting doctors have stepped away from routine duties, including inpatient care, demanding stipend parity with allopathy counterparts, clearance of arrears from January 1, 2026, and timely salary disbursements.

Undergraduate AYUSH students have also joined the agitation organized by the Telangana AYUSH Joint Action Committee (AYUSH-JAC) in solidarity with the protesting doctors.

According to the protesting doctors, stipend revisions for AYUSH practitioners have significantly lagged behind those of allopathy doctors. Allopathy postgraduates receive between Rs 67,032 and Rs 74,782 per month, whereas AYUSH postgraduates receive between Rs 30,947 and Rs 34,385. The disparity extends to house surgeons and interns, with AYUSH doctors receiving Rs 13,754 compared to Rs 29,792 paid to allopathy interns.

Dr. Anurag Singh, vice-president of the Telangana State Ayurveda PG and House Surgeons Association, pointed out that stipends for allopathy students were revised eight times over the past 15 years, while AYUSH stipends were revised only three times during the same period.

The association also highlighted stipend scales in other states. Neighboring Andhra Pradesh pays its AYUSH interns Rs 25,906 and postgraduates up to Rs 64,767, while states such as Delhi and Uttar Pradesh provide stipends exceeding Rs 95,000.

Dr. Rajesh Kalyan, president of the association, stated that numerous representations submitted to authorities regarding their grievances had gone unaddressed.

The striking medical practitioners have demanded immediate stipend parity along with arrears dating back to January 1, 2026, and the implementation of a streamlined 'Green Channel' system to prevent ongoing delays in monthly stipend payments.