New Delhi: The United Doctors Front (UDF) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court seeking implementation of the 1992 Residency Scheme, a matter listed in a matter mentioned orally before the court by Advocate of Record (AOR) Dr Charu Mathur on July 23, 2026.The petition seeks accountability and enforcement of guidelines related to resident working conditions. The UDF has sought to implement on-call time limits, including a maximum of 48 hours per week, eight-hour days, mandatory weekly breaks, adequate rest periods and safer on-call schedules for residents.PIL seeks to regulate duty hours of resident doctorsThe petition filed by UDF focuses on the working conditions of resident doctors who provide medical services in hospitals and medical facilities. The organization said working hours and appropriate rest arrangements need to be regulated to address issues related to doctors’ welfare and patient safety.Residents are an important part of hospital services and handle patient care responsibilities, emergency duties, clinical procedures and academic training. At some medical institutions, physicians in residency programs continue to balance long work hours with postgraduate training requirements and clinical responsibilities.Working conditions remain a concern for doctorsResident physicians across India often express concerns about extended working hours, limited rest periods, inadequate breaks between shifts, and challenges in maintaining a balance between clinical responsibilities and academic commitments. Many graduate medical interns work in emergency departments, intensive care units, and other critical areas that require constant patient monitoring.Adequate rest, regulated work hours and safe duty schedules remain a focus for medical associations and healthcare professionals. Physician groups believe fatigue from long working hours affects the health of medical professionals and the quality of patient care.Accountability and Enforcement RequirementsThrough the PIL, the UDF sought strict enforcement of the Residency Scheme, 1992 and a mechanism to ensure compliance with working hours regulations. The organization emphasizes the need to provide humane working conditions for resident physicians while maintaining standards of medical care.This issue is being considered amid ongoing discussions around medical staff conditions, including on-call arrangements, workplace safety and institutional responsibilities for physicians undergoing residency training.The Supreme Court’s inclusion in the list comes as resident doctors continue to seek structured working conditions, adequate rest and safety measures during training and service.
