Maharashtra has increased the monthly internship stipend for final year veterinary students The revised internship stipend will provide financial relief to students pursuing veterinary education under the Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU). According to the government announcement, the decision is also aimed at encouraging students to serve in veterinary hospitals, particularly in rural and remote areas. Under the revised funding arrangement, the state government will contribute Rs 15,000 per month towards the stipend. The remaining Rs 3,000 will be provided through funds from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University. Commenting on the decision, Pankaja Munde said the increased stipend would offer financial support to students while encouraging them to contribute to veterinary healthcare services in rural Maharashtra. She said the move is expected to improve the availability of trained manpower at veterinary hospitals and help livestock farmers access quality veterinary services. The government expects the increased financial assistance to motivate more veterinary students to serve in rural and remote locations, where access to trained veterinary professionals remains important for livestock healthcare and animal husbandry services. Munde also expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar for the Cabinet decision. Maharashtra Government's Focus On Veterinary Healthcare The stipend revision is intended to support students during their compulsory internship period while strengthening the availability of veterinary professionals in the state. Veterinary hospitals play an important role in providing treatment, preventive healthcare and other services for livestock. Improving the availability of trained veterinary manpower, particularly in rural areas, is therefore an important part of supporting livestock farmers. With the monthly internship allowance now increased to Rs 18,000, final-year veterinary students under MAFSU will receive additional financial support during their practical training. The announcement was made through the Maharashtra government's official DGIPR communication. Lakshima Sareen is a Senior Copy Editor with the Digital Education Desk at Times Now, specialising in education news, exam updates, and policy reporti... View More