MARD sources say that the biggest problem is the paltry stipend of Rs 4,500 and Rs 4,900 that the post graduate students are getting is hardly enough to meet the monthly expenditure of the resident doctors. The fee Increase since the last term makes this problem more acute.

Resident doctors also complain about the long working hours and the lack of proper accomodation.

Dr Rajas Deshpande, organising secretary, central MARD, said that though they do not like to go on strikes, they have been forced to do so by the callous attitude of the government.However, a senior government official said that though the resident doctors are definately overworked and exploited, their going on strike would only hurt poor patients who havebeen scheduled for surgery.