Rajasthan nursing students get ‘Rs 5’ stipend, launch ‘satyagraha’ for uniform monthly pay, reforms

BSc Nursing students in Rajasthan have intensified their protest against the delay in stipend disbursement for interns, calling it a violation of central government guidelines. The prolonged delay has pushed students to announce a phase-wise agitation across the state.

Rajasthan nursing students have launched the ‘Nursing Justice Satyagraha’ by submitting memorandums at district collectors' offices across the state. The campaign marks the first phase of a statewide agitation demanding disbursement of stipend and key educational reforms and recruitment.

The primary demand is uniform implementation of Rs 13,150 monthly stipend for BSc Nursing and GNM interns, as mandated by the central government in 2022. Students claimed that while Delhi and several other states provide stipends ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, Rajasthan continues to lag far behind, with many students receiving nothing or token sums.

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Rajasthan, however, is yet to frame a uniform stipend policy. Most government-affiliated nursing colleges allegedly provide no stipend at all, and at SMS Nursing College, Jaipur, interns are paid a shocking Rs 5 per month, the Joint Working Committee (JWC), Jaipur, has written to the Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

“Even at SMS Nursing College, Jaipur, interns receive a paltry Rs 5 per month, which is utterly deplorable… Nursing students perform critical duties in government hospitals during internships, yet they remain financially unsupported,” the letter read.

Nursing students slam gender quota in recruitment

The lack of a stipend imposes severe financial strain on students, forcing them to seek exploitative part-time work, affecting their training quality and contributing to Rajasthan’s nursing shortage amid a national deficit of 2 million nurses, the statement read.

Beyond stipends, students have also flagged constitutional and systemic issues in recruitment and education standards.

“This policy violates Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 16 (Equality of Opportunity in Public Employment) of the Indian Constitution, as it prioritizes gender over merit, undermining fairness,” the JWC said.

They highlighted that the current policy, which reserves 80% of nursing officer posts for women and 20% for men, “severely limits opportunities for Rajasthan’s male nursing students, particularly those aspiring for central roles like AIIMS Jodhpur,” while discouraging male enrollment and worsening the state’s 20–30% nursing vacancy rate.

“Substandard colleges also produce underprepared professionals, compromising healthcare quality, especially in rural areas, and increasing clinical error rates.”

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Key demands of students

The agitation outlines four clear demands of nursing students.

• Enforcement of the Rs 13,150 stipend for all nursing interns.
• Abolition of gender quotas in recruitment.
• Merit-only recruitment through written examinations.
• Mandatory INC affiliation for nursing colleges to ensure national practice rights.

Protest plan of Rajasthan nursing students

The agitation has been divided into three-phases.