In a significant move, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced plans to review and update the Residency Scheme 1992, which has been in place for over three decades.
The meeting to discuss the proposed changes will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi.
The meeting, scheduled for 2.30 pm, will be chaired by Dr Sunita Sharma, Additional Director General of Health Services (DGHS). A host of key health and medical professionals, including senior officials and experts from various institutions, have been invited to attend the session. Notable participants include Dr Sunita Mondal, Dr Anil Gurtoo, and representatives from leading medical colleges.
The medical community has been demanding reforms in the implementation of existing residency scheme, especially strict reinforcement of fixed duty hours for resident doctors across all states.
Dr Lakshya Mittal, National President of the United Doctors’ Front (UDF), took to social media to express his support for the long-awaited reforms.
He tweeted, “After 33 years, a big step forward! After long and continuous efforts, @MoHFW_INDIA & @DghsIndia have called a high-level meeting on the Residency Scheme 1992 on 22nd April. UDF National President @drlakshyamittal and other key stakeholders invited to discuss long-awaited reforms. Time to protect our resident doctors. Let’s make it happen!”
The Residency Scheme, which has been in place since 1992, has been a cornerstone of medical education in India, governing the structure and funding of postgraduate medical training across the country.
After more than three decades of implementation, stakeholders from across the medical field have voiced the need for an updated framework that reflects the changing landscape of healthcare education and practice.
