Around 5,000 Ayurvedic students across Madhya Pradesh are staging protests demanding stipends on par with MBBS students from other states. The protesting students have put forward four specific demands, including aligning examinations and academic activities with the university's academic calendar.
"Currently, Ayurvedic courses extend over seven to eight years, which exceeds the usual duration of five and a half years for medical students," the protesting students said.
"The PAC examination for the AYUSH department should be conducted continuously, and the results of previously held examinations should be released," they demanded.
Another concern raised by the students pertains to the meager stipends allocated for medical leave, which are further reduced when utilized. The students claim this is not the case in other states, where medical leave for AYUSH scholars is handled differently. The protesting students are advocating for a fairer system.
To draw attention to their demands, Ayurvedic students have submitted memoranda to the collectors in the name of the Chief Minister. They are staging continuous protests in Ayurvedic colleges located across seven districts in the state.