New Delhi, September 2025 – Resident doctors at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are stepping up their demand for the strict application of a newly issued policy covering their working hours at 12 hours per day and 48 hours per week. The official instruction, issued on August 21, 2025, tries to reduce long working hours and their impact on doctors’ health and patient care. Which will eventually show impact on patient care.
Background of the Policy
The Office Memorandum (OM) issued by AIIMS stipulates that:
- Continuous active duty for resident doctors should not exceed 12 hours per day.
- Junior residents are expected to work 48 hours per week, with no single shift lasting more than 12 hours.
- Residents are entitled to one weekly day off by rotation.
- On-call shifts should be limited to a maximum of 12 hours.
These guidelines are dependable with the Government of India’s Central Residency Scheme, which aims to normalize working conditions for medical resident doctors/students across India.
Execution Challenges
Despite the issuing of the policy, many resident doctors report that the guidelines are not being uniformly applied across AIIMS centres. Worries have been raised about possible disciplinary actions or judgement against those advocating for devotion to the new duty hours. The Union of Resident Doctors (UDF) has formally written to the Director of AIIMS, urging instant implementation of the policy and requesting protection for residents who demand agreement.
Dr. Sai Kaustubh, President of the Resident Doctors’ Association of AIIMS Delhi, expressed doubts about the feasibility of implementing the new duty hours without increasing the number of resident doctors. He highlighted that satisfactory staffing is essential to ensure that patient care is not compromised while following to the new guidelines.
Legal and Official Support
The UDF’s support has gathered attention at the national level. The Supreme Court of India issued a notice on August 22, 2025, in response to an appeal filed by the UDF seeking enforcement of the 1992 Central notification that restricts the duty hours of a resident doctor to 12 hours per day and 48 hours per week. The Court’s interference highlights the meaning of the issue and the need for systemic improvements to protect the health of medical professionals.
In addition to legal support, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has been urged to monitor agreement with the new duty hour guidelines and take suitable action against organizations that fail to implement them effectively.
Wider Implications for Medical Training and Patient Care
The demand for consistent duty hours reflects a broader worry about the working conditions of medical residents and their effect on both healthcare providers (doctors) and patients. Unnecessary working hours have been related with high increased risks of exhaustion, uncontrollable mental health issues, and medical faults among resident doctors. Applying everyday duty hours is shown as a step toward improving the quality of medical training and patient care.
Also, the execution of standardized duty hours make even with global practices in medical education, where limiting work hours has been shown to improve well-being of medical professionals, and the quality of patient care.
Conclusion
As the healthcare segment continues to progress, the demands for improvements such as standardized duty hours shows a commitment to improving the working conditions of medical professionals. Confirming the active implementation of these guidelines at AIIMS and other medical institutions is critical for protection of the health of resident doctors and improving the overall quality of healthcare delivery in India.