New Delhi, October 26, 2025: A senior resident doctor at GB Pant Hospital has applied for resignation, citing extreme overwork and mental distress caused by 36-hour continuous shifts. The case has prompted an internal probe and renewed national focus on the well-being of resident doctors.
Dr Rishu Sinha, wife of Dr Amit Kumar, a senior resident in the Cardiology Department, wrote to the hospital administration, Delhi Medical Association (DMA), and Delhi Medical Council (DMC). She alleges her husband was routinely assigned 36-hour shifts without rest, leading to suicidal thoughts, sleep deprivation, burnout, and emotional humiliation.
“After filing the RTI, GB Pant told my husband that they would give him an eight-hour shift. However, nothing happened, and he was again put on a 36-hour duty,” Dr Sinha told ETV Bharat.
She filed two RTI applications seeking details on duty-hour policies and compliance with the 1992 Residency Rules, but the hospital did not respond. Dr Kumar joined the DM Cardiology course on June 20, 2025, after completing MBBS at Safdarjung Hospital and PG in Medicine at RML Hospital.
On October 23, 2025, in acute distress, he applied for resignation. He was prepared to pay a ₹10 lakh penalty for course withdrawal, a standard bond clause, before his wife intervened.
GB Pant Hospital has formed a six-member committee chaired by Dr Sanjeev Sachdeva. The panel will examine Dr Kumar’s case and review duty rosters for all resident doctors. The committee is expected to submit its report within three days. The hospital has invited Dr Kumar and his wife for a meeting, and his resignation application has not yet been accepted.
Professor Dr Yusuf Jamal, Head of Cardiology, confirmed that the administration is addressing the couple’s concerns.
On October 24, 2025, DMA President Dr Girish Tyagi forwarded Dr Sinha’s email to the Director, Directorate of Health Services, Government of NCT Delhi. Copies were also sent to the Chief Minister, Health Minister, Chief Secretary, and Secretary of Health, Delhi.
The official letter (Ref: F-75/DMA/2025) reads:
“We hereby forward the email received from Dr. Rishu Sinha pertaining to humane working hours for Dr Amit Kumar, which is self-explanatory. Kindly do the needful and take necessary action.”
This case highlights a wider problem in India’s medical community. The Knya Vitals 2025: Behind the Scrubs survey, that was included in an article in MedBound Times on July 22, 2025, sheds light on everyday hurdles that doctors regularly deal with by stating that:
58% report long working hours
46% struggle with patient overload
36% face difficulties with administrative tasks
Dr Lakshya Mittal, chairperson of the United Doctors’ Front, warned:
“Fake duty rosters are submitted, and resident doctors routinely work 70 to 100 hours weekly. This exploitation must end, or we risk losing an entire generation of doctors.”
(Rh/VK)
