The Maharashtra government on Tuesday increased the stipend for students of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and also introduced a stipend for B.SC Nursing course.
The stipend of students pursuing physiotherapy and occupational therapy has been raised from Rs 1,750 per month to Rs 6,250 per month.
Whereas students pursuing B.Sc. Nursing, who were not getting any stipend till now, will start getting a stipend amount of Rs 8,000 per month.
The decision, taken in a Cabinet meeting, will apply to all government-run colleges offering Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and B.Sc. Nursing courses.
Meanwhile, a stipend of Rs 10,000, including dearness allowance, was approved for postgraduate degree students of the same course.
After this increase, postgraduate degree students will now get a stipend of Rs 33,730.
On introducing stipend for nursing students, the principal of a government nursing college said, “The B.Sc. The nursing course is of four years with eight semesters. The final semester is an internship for students. As this was part of the course curriculum, unlike the medicine internship wherein students worked for a year after completing degree, there was no stipend for B.Sc. Nursing students. The government seems to have responded positively to consistent demand by the students for a stipend. But there is no guarantee until there is a Government Resolution in this regard.”
Story continues below this ad
There are five government nursing colleges in Maharashtra — one each in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nanded — having a capacity of 50 students each. The residency period for B.Sc. Nursing students are for six months.
