Supreme Court defers hearing on plea over inhuman working conditions of resident doctors in India

• The Supreme Court deferred hearing on a plea alleging inhuman working conditions of resident doctors.
• The court directed the Registry to trace the Union government's counter affidavit, which was filed in December 2025.
• The petition highlights systemic exploitation of resident doctors across medical colleges and teaching hospitals.
• The regulatory framework concerning duty hours and rest periods for resident doctors remains unimplemented.

Despite these directives, medical institutions have routinely violated prescribed standards with impunity.

The Supreme Court's decision to defer hearing on a plea regarding inhuman working conditions of resident doctors has sparked concerns about the regulatory framework governing duty hours and rest periods for medical professionals. The court directed the Registry to trace the Union government's counter affidavit, which was filed in December 2025, but not placed on record. This delay has led to the matter being rescheduled for September 17. The petition, filed by the United Doctors Front (UDF), highlights systemic exploitation of resident doctors across medical colleges and teaching hospitals. The plea alleges that despite binding directives issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1992, regulatory framework concerning duty hours and rest periods remains unimplemented.

The petition filed under Article 32 seeks urgent judicial intervention to curb exploitative working conditions of resident doctors. The writ petition highlights long-standing non-compliance with directives issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1992, which capped working hours at a maximum of 12 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Despite these directives, medical institutions have routinely violated prescribed standards with impunity. The regulatory framework concerning duty hours and rest periods for resident doctors remains grossly unimplemented, even after more than three decades.

The Supreme Court's decision to defer hearing on this matter has significant implications for the regulatory framework governing duty hours and rest periods for medical professionals. If the court upholds the petition, it could lead to a re-examination of the Uniform Central Residency Scheme and the implementation of binding norms fixing maximum duty hours for resident doctors. This could have far-reaching consequences for medical institutions and their compliance obligations regarding duty hours and rest periods.

Lawyers should watch for potential precedent-setting case on duty hours and rest periods for resident doctors, which could impact regulatory framework and compliance obligations for medical institutions.

Source: Original reporting via Supreme Court Defers Hearing On Plea Over Inhuman Working Conditions Of Resident Doctors