'If docs burn out every day, there won't be anyone left to hold the scalpel'

Resident doctors in India are routinely forced to work up to 100 hours per week, often with shifts of 24-36 hours, which is in clear violation of the Union health ministry's guidelines under 1992 Uniform Residency Scheme. So claims a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the United Doctors Front (UDF) in the Supreme Court in April, with the petitioners set to push for an urgent hearing this month.

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The petition emphasises widespread noncompliance with the 1992 guidelines, which mandate a maximum of 12 hours of continuous duty per day and 48 hours of work per week. The matter assumes significance against the backdrop of recent cases such as the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August last year. The victim had gone to rest in a seminar room after a 36-hour shift, which is where she was allegedly raped and killed.

Speaking to HT's Vikrant Jha, Dr Lakshya Mittal, the national convenor of the UDF, a charitable trust that advocates for the rights of medical professionals in India, laid bare the human cost of an outdated system and explained why it is dangerous not just for doctors but also for patients.

You have filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court over the issue of long duty hours of trainees and interning doctors. What exactly are you asking the court to do?

The problem dates back to a deeply flawed legacy. In the early 20th century, Dr William Halsted, a pioneer of residency training, promoted working for long hours—without sleep or food. But he did this under the influence of cocaine and morphine. ‘We've somehow turned this distorted model into tradition in India, expecting students to perform similarly—without the drugs, but with all the exhaustion.

In 1992, following directives issued by the Supreme Court, the Union health ministry issued guidelines, capping duty hours of doctors to 48 hours a week. Yet, senior faculty members, who themselves once endured 36-hour shifts, never let go of the “we suffered, so must you” mindset. This was aided by a shortage of medical and support staff, making it easy to dump everything on resident doctors—from clerical work to paramedical duties.