Intern doctors in Gujarat strike work at Government Dental College over hostel issue

Work at the Government Dental College on the Civil Hospital campus in Asarwa was severely affected after intern doctors went on strike two days ago, protesting the lack of hostel accommodation. The protest created a situation where routine academic and hospital activities came to a halt.

Students pursuing dental studies are required to complete a four-year academic programme followed by a year-long internship. According to existing rules, hostel facilities are not provided to students during their internship period. Based on this regulation, the college administration recently instructed intern doctors who were staying in the hostel to vacate their rooms.

The students launched a strike demanding that hostel accommodation be provided during their internship. As a result, intern doctors stopped performing their internship duties two days ago.

The students are protesting because they think that accommodation should be arranged for them while they are doing their internship. The strike has worried the college administration as the absence of interns might lead to a disruption or change of the regular services/activities.

On the other hand, the college officials stood firm that this is a direct implementation of the current policy. They explained that the students are expected to move out of the hostel after finishing four years of academic studies so that the rooms can be given to the newly admitted students particularly given the limited hostel capacities.

On the topic of stipend, the authorities spoke that interns receive their stipend only after the date on which the internship officially starts. They also assured that no one has had any stipend or scholarship held back.

The college management explained that talks are taking place with the students in order to resolve the issue and convince them to return to the internship activities at the earliest.