The United Doctors Front (UDF) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court of India, challenging what it terms as “inhuman” working hours imposed on resident doctors across the country.

The Supreme Court, today, August 22, 2025, has issued notice on the petition seeking strict compliance with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s 1992 guidelines that limit resident doctors’ duty to 12 hours per day and 48 hours per week.

The petition was submitted through senior advocates Sonia Mathur, Satyam Singh, and Advocate-on-Record (AOR) Neema.

Violation of duty-hour norms

UDF President Dr Lakshya Mittal said resident doctors are often forced to work between 70-100 hours a week, which is a clear violation of a 1992 notification issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which prescribes a maximum of 12 hours per day and 48 hours per week. “This not only endangers the doctors but also compromises patient safety,” he stated.

The PIL notes that despite repeated Supreme Court directions over three decades, medical institutions continue to turn a blind eye to duty-hour norms. It also cites findings of the National Task Force on mental health of medical students, which recorded more than 150 student suicides in the past five years, which were caused due to stress and sleep deprivation.

Reliefs sought

The petition urges the Supreme Court to issue directions to all government and private medical institutions to implement the 1992 directive on duty hours, prepare rosters that take into account human psychological and physical limitations, and establish enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with regulations. 

Advocate Satyam Singh stressed that “this is not merely about labour rights but about the fundamental right to life with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.”

The case is expected to be listed for hearing in the coming weeks.