First-year postgraduate medical students at BJ Government Medical College (BJGMC), Pune, allegedly face 24–36 hours of continuous duty without a weekly off, according to a complaint submitted to the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission. The complaint, filed by J Swamidas on July 13, also alleges that duty rosters providing for eight-hour shifts and weekly offs are not being implemented across departments, except in the radio diagnosis department.

First-year postgraduate medical students at BJ Government Medical College, Pune, allegedly face 24–36-hour duty stretches without a weekly off, according to the complaint reported by Medical Dialogues. The complaint alleges that departments have prepared rosters based on eight-hour shifts and weekly offs, but these arrangements are not being followed except in the radio diagnosis department.

The complaint also alleges that PG students are required to stay in the hostel within the hospital campus throughout the year, leaving them limited time for personal work. It further raises concerns about bullying by senior students and alleged inadequate monitoring of duty-hour guidelines by the Head of Department.

According to Medical Dialogues, the Central Residency Scheme, issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on June 5, 1992, following directions from the Supreme Court, states that continuous active duty should normally not exceed 12 hours at a time. Junior residents should ordinarily work around 48 hours a week and receive one weekly holiday by rotation.

The complaint cites these provisions along with Article 21 of the Constitution, concerning the right to life and liberty, and Article 42, concerning just and humane conditions of work. It also refers to Articles 23 and 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, stating that Article 24 upholds “the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.”

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According to Medical Dialogues, three earlier complaints concerning first-year PG medical students were filed through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). The matter was also taken up with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where the complaints were stated to be under process.

The complaint was subsequently submitted to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) seeking intervention.

The report also states that the complainant “was informed that the seat-leaving penalty is around Rs 30 lakh,” raising concerns about the financial burden on PG students who may consider leaving their courses.

(Rh/TP/MSM)