India, Oct. 12 -- Protests by around 650 Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) interns working in government hospitals across Telangana entered their fifth day on Monday, as they continued to demand the same stipend as doctors who completed their MBBS degrees in India.

The interns said that while doctors who pursued MBBS in India receive a monthly stipend of Rs 29,792, foreign medical graduates are paid either nothing or a nominal Rs 5,000. They alleged that despite the disparity in payments, they perform the same clinical duties in outpatient departments, hospital wards and emergency services.

The agitation began after the interns submitted formal representations and held a meeting with the Director of Medical Education (DME). Following their...