Salaries stuck for 6 months, 403 Maharashtra medical officers unpaid; Nagpur doctors strike

It is festival season, with preparations under way in homes across the state, but hundreds of doctors' families in Maharashtra are under financial stress. The Maharashtra State Gazetted Medical Officers Group-A organisation has claimed that 403 in-service medical officers in the state have not received their salaries for the past six months. Meanwhile, at Nagpur's Daga Memorial Government Women's Hospital, seven junior resident doctors have been on a work stoppage over unpaid stipends for seven months.

According to the Maharashtra State Gazetted Medical Officers Group-A organisation, these 403 in-service medical officers were sent on deputation for postgraduate studies under NEET PG-2025. They include officers training through NEET-PG, NEET-DNB and AIA-PGET. The organisation says a proposal to create supernumerary posts following the deputation has been stuck awaiting administrative approval for around four months, which it says is the reason for the delay in these doctors' salaries.

The non-payment of salaries has made it difficult for the doctors to manage household budgets. Children's school and college fees, home loan EMIs, house rent, groceries and daily expenses continue as usual, and the extra costs of the festival season have added further pressure. According to the organisation, some doctors have also fallen behind on loan instalments. The doctors are continuing their studies while also serving patients in hospitals.

A similar situation over stipends has emerged at Nagpur's Daga Memorial Government Women's Hospital. The hospital runs PG courses in the paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecology departments, and seven junior doctors from these two departments say that despite serving since February, they have not yet received their stipends. The doctors say they have raised the issue with senior hospital administration officials several times, but allege that the hospital administration failed to send attendance sheets to the senior office on time, which is why the stipends are stuck.

Over their demand for stipends, these seven junior doctors have been on a work stoppage since August 31. The prolonged stoppage has put extra pressure on the regular functioning of the obstetrics, surgery and newborn care departments, which is reported to be affecting patient care as well. In both cases, doctors and their families are waiting to see when the administration will clear the pending salaries and stipends.