HYDERABAD: The Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (T-SRDA) has raised several concerns about the challenges female resident doctors face during their residency.

In a letter to the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) and the Director of Medical Education (DME), female postgraduate doctors said the absence of clear guidelines on maternity leave during residency has led to confusion and inconsistent practices across government medical colleges in the state.

They stated that after completing the mandatory three-month maternity leave, PG students were being asked to pay `15,000 to rejoin their courses.

The rejoining process, they said, was further delayed by two to three weeks, during which they were denied access to departmental facilities.

The doctors also said that regular stipends were not being paid on time, with delays of four to five months after completing the extension period.

Female PG students were additionally denied casual leave during the extension, even in medical emergencies, despite having medical leave balance.

The T-SRDA has demanded action to introduce clear guidelines for maternity leave and rejoining procedures, waiver of the `15,000 rejoining fee, timely payment of monthly stipends during the extension period, permission to take casual leave during the extension, and release of all pending stipend dues.

The association has also submitted the representation to the state and national women’s commissions, seeking intervention.