Doctors’ Day 2025: UDF launches study on 'long duty hours, mental health crises among medical students'

The United Doctors Front (UDF) has launched a nationwide study titled ‘Excessive Duty Hours and Mental Health Crisis Among Medical Students: A National Survey.’ The extensive report has drawn responses from thousands of MBBS interns and postgraduate students across the country, highlighting the ground realities of medical trainees' wellbeing and risks to patients' safety.

The chairperson and national president of UDF Lakshya Mittal, shares this initiative not as a protest, but as a lawful assertion to establish rules. The study aims to encourage medical students and resident doctors to strictly follow the rules, without compromising patient care.

“UDF firmly believes that medical students are not just future doctors, but today’s responsible, law-abiding, and civic-minded citizens of India,” the official UDF statement said.
Also read 'Resident doctors are not robots': AIIMS Bhubaneswar, AFMC Pune violate duty-hour guidelines, RTI confirms

UDF Report: Key findings

According to the key findings of the UDF report, over 62% of medical students report working more than 72 hours each week, receiving no weekly off, for most of them. Around 84% are experiencing mental health issues such as depression, burnout, and anxiety, while 86.52% said ‘overwhelming workload’ affects both their efficiency and patient care. Additionally, several students have reported being subjected to seat-leaving penalties ranging from Rs 25 to 50 lakh, adding psychological stress.

In response to these findings, UDF has called for a national campaign ‘Work to Rule’ on Doctors’ Day 2025 on July 1.

UDF demands

According to the official UDF statement, the key demands for long-term structural reforms are as follows.

• Implementation of the MoHFW Duty Hour Regulations, 1992, and National Medical Commission Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (NMC PGMER) Guidelines, 2023
• Enforcement of anti-ragging measures
• Fair and timely distribution of stipends across the country
• Implementation of a Central Protection Act to ensure the safety of medical professionals
• Guarantee of a secure learning environment in all colleges

UDF has urged all medical students to treat patients responsibly, adhere to all assigned duty hours as per the official guidelines, and operate within the institution's guidelines and frameworks. Lastly, assert their right to a respectful, safe, and academically enriching environment.