Duty hours and safety: 10 questions to ask before joining a PG college

Choosing a PG seat usually comes down to branch, rank and fees. Duty hours and safety rarely make the shortlist until you are three weeks into residency. Two news items this month are a reason to ask earlier.

On 27 Oct 2026, Osmania General Hospital (OGH) in Hyderabad capped weekly duty for junior residents and interns at 48 hours, with one guaranteed day off, according to a Medical Dialogues report on 12 Nov. Some residents had reportedly worked stretches of up to 72 hours. Departments must now file rosters by the 28th of each month. We could not confirm whether the order is published online.

A week earlier, on 6 Nov, UNI reported that a resident doctor at the Government Medical College and Hospital (Mayo), Nagpur was allegedly assaulted by a police constable and his son after the doctor attended to a critical patient first. Cross FIRs were filed. Resident doctors threatened an indefinite strike; we could not confirm whether it went ahead.

What the rules actually say

Sources: NMC PGMER 2023 and FAQs as reported by Medical Dialogues and Careers360; Medical Dialogues, 5 Aug 2026 and 12 Nov 2026.

In short, the national rulebook guarantees leave and a weekly day off but leaves "reasonable hours" undefined. What you actually work depends on your department.

3,885

doctors surveyed, 22+ states

44.8%

had no duty room on night shifts

35.5%

felt unsafe or very unsafe

31.4%

of duty rooms had no attached washroom

Source: IMA survey reported by Business Standard and others, 30 Aug 2024.

What residents report

Our branch database collects what residents and specialists say about training. Two examples show the range:

• OBG: residents in our counsellor handbook describe 72-100 hour weeks with continuous 36-hour shifts in some units. YouTuber Karthik MD, in a talk we reviewed, advised students to check a college's night-duty safety and duty rooms before choosing OBG.
• General Medicine and Surgery are also rated among the heaviest residencies in our data, while branches like Radiology or Pathology usually run more planned hours.

And from the wider profession, an IMA survey led by its Kerala chapter after the RG Kar case in 2024:

Source: IMA survey as reported by Business Standard and other outlets, 30 Aug 2024. The journal paper itself was not reviewed.

That survey is two years old. We have not found a newer national figure, which is itself a reason to ask on the ground.

Item	Rule	Reality check
Weekly day off	Yes (PGMER 2023)	Ask if it is actually given
Casual leave	20 days paid	Ask how many residents use
Academic leave	5 days, counted as duty	Ask about conferences
Weekly hour cap	None nationally	OGH Hyderabad: 48 hours (Oct 2026)

Sources: NMC PGMER 2023 (via Medical Dialogues, Careers360); Medical Dialogues, 12 Nov 2026.

The 10 questions

Ask these of two or three current residents, ideally in your branch and in their second year. Seniors are usually frank on a phone call.

Hours and rest

1. What is a normal week, and what is a bad week? Ask for hours, not adjectives. "Busy" means different things in OBG and Radiology.

2. Do you actually get the weekly day off and your 20 days of casual leave? PGMER promises both. Some departments honour them; some do not.

3. Is there a written monthly roster, and who makes it? OGH now requires one by the 28th. A posted roster is a sign the department takes hours seriously.

Duty rooms and night safety

4. Is there a duty room for each department, and does it lock? Ask whether it has a washroom and whether women residents have a separate room.

5. Who is present in the emergency and casualty area at night? Security guards, a police outpost, working CCTV, a panic button or alarm. The Nagpur incident happened in exactly this setting.

6. How far is the hostel, and how do residents get back after a night shift? Lit paths and transport matter more than the brochure.

Support and pay

7. Is a senior resident or consultant reachable at night? Being alone with the sickest patients at 3 AM is both a training and a safety problem.

8. Is the stipend paid in full and on time? Stipends range from about Rs 42K to Rs 1.27 lakh a month by state, and residents in J&K have been protesting their rates this month. Delays are common in some private colleges.

9. How strong is the Resident Doctors' Association, and what happened after the last incident? A department's response to the last assault or complaint tells you more than any policy.

Your wellbeing

10. Is there a mentor, wellness committee or counsellor that residents actually use? Ask whether anyone has used it and whether it was confidential.

1. 5 Aug 2026

   Health Ministry tells Rajya Sabha residents should have reasonable hours and rest (PGMER 2023)

2. 27 Oct 2026

   Osmania General Hospital order: 48-hour week, one day off

3. 6 Nov 2026

   Resident allegedly assaulted at GMCH (Mayo) Nagpur; strike threatened

4. 17 Nov 2026

   MCC Round 2 result: time to ask these 10 questions

Sources: Medical Dialogues; UNI; MCC Round 2 schedule dated 07.11.2026.

What this means for you

• Choosing between two similar seats in Round 2: let the answers to questions 1, 4 and 5 break the tie. Three years is a long time.
• Heading into a heavy branch (OBG, Medicine, Surgery): expect long hours anywhere. Focus on whether there is a roster, a day off and real senior support.
• Women residents: ask specifically about separate duty rooms, night transport and how the college handled complaints in the past.
• Joining a new or first-batch college: ask whether duty rooms and security are already in place, not "planned".
• Already in residency and over-stretched: keep a simple log of your hours. It is useful if your RDA raises the issue.

If you are struggling

Residency is hard, and asking for help is part of being a good doctor. If you feel overwhelmed, talk to your Resident Doctors' Association, a trusted senior, your college's student support cell, or a mental-health professional. India's free government helpline Tele-MANAS (14416) is available round the clock. If you are worried about a friend, reach out to them today.

If you want help weighing seats on training and residency life, not just rank, open Know Your Branch or book a counselling call with our team.

Change log: Published 14 Nov 2026