Accepting medicos’ demand to hike their monthly internship allowance, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday doubled the stipend of MBBS and BDS students in government medical colleges, institutions and medical universities across the state from ₹12,000 to ₹25,000.The proposal was cleared at the UP Cabinet meeting that chief minister Yogi Adityanath chaired. (HT file)The proposal was cleared at the Cabinet meeting that chief minister Yogi Adityanath chaired. This is the second hike by the Yogi government. Earlier in 2021, the stipend was raised from ₹7,500 to ₹12,000.The enhanced stipend will apply to students who have passed MBBS and BDS examinations and are undergoing compulsory rotatory internship in state-run medical institutions. Officials said during internship, medical students provide clinical support in patient care and play a crucial role in emergency services, wards, OPDs and night duties.The increased allowance will help interns meet rising expenses during their training period while ensuring better commitment towards patient care in government hospitals, officials said. The hike is seen as a step to retain talent in government hospitals and motivate interns who form the backbone of emergency and OPD services.With this, the state has brought its internship stipend closer to that offered in several other states and central institutions, addressing a long-pending demand of medical students’ associations.The state government’s decision comes against the backdrop of a recent protest by MBBS interns from several government medical colleges at King George’s Medical University on August 22 demanding an increase in their monthly stipend.Interns from KGMU, Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, and Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College, Meerut, among other institutions participated in the demonstration.Proposal to purchase 2.5 million tablets for youth clearedThe UP Cabinet also gave its nod to the proposal to purchase 2.5 million (25 lakh) tablets under the Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme, aimed at technologically empowering the state’s youth.These tablets will be provided free of charge to eligible youth. The state government has taken the step towards connecting the state’s youth with digital resources by approving the issuance of purchase orders to the organisations selected through the tender process.Under the Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme, modern tablets are being provided to the state’s eligible youth pursuing various educational and training programmes, including undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and skill development programmes. A budget provision of ₹2,374.60 crore has been made for this in the 2026-27 fiscal. This scheme will not impose any additional expenditure burden on the central government.This will enable students to better complete their educational curriculum digitally and benefit from technology-based learning. Tablets will also help youth access government and non-government schemes, online training, employment, and self-employment services.Finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the decision will help technically empower skilled youth enrolled in higher education, technical education, health education, skill development training, and ITI.