JIPMER caps resident doctors duty at 12 hours per stretch, 48 per week, doctors welcome move

Puducherry: Putting limits on long working shifts and stressing the need to achieve better work-life balance, the Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) has clarified that junior residents should ordinarily work for 48 hours per week, and no duty hours should stretch more than 12 hours continuously.

In a circular issued on April 28, 2026, the institute referred to the Residency Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on June 5, 1992, following directions from the Supreme Court, which clearly limit resident doctors’ duty hours to a maximum of 12 hours per day and 48 hours per week.

Reiterating the guidelines, JIPMER stated that continuous active duty for resident doctors should not normally exceed 12 hours a day. It also noted that doctors can be assigned "on-call" duties, but such shifts should not go beyond 12 hours at a time.

"The undersigned is directed to refer to Letter No. S.11014/3-91-ME(P) dated 05th June, 1992 of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), Government of India on the subject mentioned above and to reiterate the guidelines with respect to duty/working hours of Resident Doctors, in accordance with the Residency Scheme issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India as follows:

Continuous active duty for resident doctors will not normally exceed 12 hours per day, subject to the exigencies of work. Resident doctors will be allowed one weekly holiday by rotation. The resident doctor will also be required to be on ‘on-call’ duty not exceeding 12 hours at a time. The Junior residents should ordinarily work for 48 hours per week and not more than 12 hours at a stretch, subject to the condition that the working hours will be flexible, keeping in view the workload and availability of doctors for clinical work," mentioned the circular.

Following this, the institute directed the Medical Superintendent and Dean (Academic), in consultation with Heads of Departments, to ensure that these guidelines are followed in both letter and spirit.

This comes after the United Doctors Front (UDF) highlighted the issue on social media and had been demanding implementation of the scheme for a long time. The association termed the current practice as “exploitation” of doctors and questioned when they would be allowed to work under normal duty hours with proper rest and mental well-being. It also raised concerns over how the deaths of doctors have increasingly become normalised.

Taking note of these concerns, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed all medical colleges to limit duty hours to a maximum of 48 hours per week and not more than 12 hours at a stretch, in line with the Residency Scheme introduced by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1992. Following the state government’s order, several medical colleges issued circulars reiterating the same.

Now, JIPMER has also issued similar instructions, a move that the association has welcomed.

Commenting on this, Dr Lakshya Mittal, UDF Chairperson, told Medical Dialogues, "This is a welcome step towards ensuring humane working conditions for resident doctors. Proper implementation of these guidelines is crucial to protect their health, well-being, and ability to deliver safe patient care."

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the United Doctors' Front had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the "inhumane working hours of resident doctors". The association challenged the "exploitative and unconstitutional working conditions imposed on resident doctors across the country". The plea, filed through Advocates Mr Satyam Singh and Ms Neema AOR, sought urgent intervention from the Apex Court to enforce compliance with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's 1992 directives notification.

Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, headed by MP Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav, submitted its 172nd report on 18.03.2026. Taking note of the huge vacancies in the posts of faculty members and residents at the central government medical institutes, the Parliamentary Health Committee expressed concern about the excessive workload of doctors.

In the report, the panel highlighted the possibility of clinical errors and burnout resulting in compromised patient safety and recommended formulating and strictly enforcing a "Clinical Duty Hours Regulation" policy with mandatory rest periods and monitored rosters. Following this, UDF Chairperson Dr Mittal wrote to the Union Health Minister, Shri J P Nadda, seeking urgent implementation of the same.

Also read- 12-hour duty norms 'only on paper'! PGI Chandigarh resident doctors flag overwork, burnout