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Mumbai, August 2, 2025
Thousands of senior resident doctors across Maharashtra are on the brink of a statewide protest, urging the government to address a series of longstanding issues: delayed stipend payments, stark disparities in pay, and a lack of standardized leave policies. The Maharashtra Senior Resident Doctor Association (MSRDA), representing over 5,000 doctors, has sent an ultimatum to the state government and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), demanding urgent intervention.
Growing Frustration Among Senior Residents
The association highlights that stipend payments in many government medical colleges remain irregular, with some residents not receiving their dues for as long as three months. For example, doctors at Grant Government Medical College, GMC Ambernath, and Chandrapur have reportedly not been paid since May, forcing many into financial distress.
Disparities in pay are another major grievance. Senior residents posted at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) peripheral hospitals reportedly receive a fixed monthly remuneration between ₹64,000 and ₹66,000, while their counterparts in major teaching hospitals like Cooper, Sion, Nair, and KEM receive over ₹90,000—a difference of ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 per month for the same responsibilities and workload. This gap persists despite a government resolution from March 2024 that mandated a minimum stipend above ₹95,000 per month for all senior residents, which has yet to be implemented consistently across the state.
Systemic Concerns: Leave Policy and Mental Health
Beyond stipend issues, doctors are also demanding clarity on leave entitlements, asking for 20 special leaves and 12 casual leaves per year. They point to the absence of such policies as a source of burnout and, in more tragic cases, suicides among exhausted residents.
Dr. Abhijeet Helge, president of MSRDA, commented, “We do not want to cripple the already-burdened public healthcare system, which is why we have avoided strikes for years. But unresolved pay and policy issues have pushed us to the brink.” Dr. Abhijeet Holambe, senior resident and psychiatrist, added, “As a young doctor, my morale is defeated. Many colleagues who are in the same position as me, earn 50% more than I do. How can we work with commitment under such circumstances?”.
Past Promises, Pending Action
The MSRDA has raised these concerns for years, pointing out that a temporary resolution was brokered in February 2024 after a prior strike, which included a promise of ₹10,000 hike in stipend and infrastructural upgrades. While some improvements were seen, the revised stipend structure has not been fully implemented, especially in BMC-run peripheral hospitals. Many senior resident doctors thus continue to be among the lowest paid in Maharashtra’s public health system.
Ultimatum and Impending Agitation
With no satisfactory response yet from government authorities, the doctors’ association asserts it will have “no choice but to launch a state-wide agitation” if their demands are not addressed swiftly. Officials warn that such a strike would further strain public health services, already under stress due to staff shortages and overwork.
“We want to help people and be good doctors, but how can we do that when we are treated this way?” — Dr. Abhijeet Holambe, Senior Resident.
Disclaimer:
This news article is based on reports from multiple media sources and statements from representatives of the Maharashtra Senior Resident Doctor Association as of August 2, 2025. The situation is developing, and details may change as authorities respond and new information emerges.
