With government medical colleges across the State not adhering to stipulated duty timings for post graduates (PG) and house surgeons, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) has recently re-issued its 2015 circular asking all deans of medical colleges to follow the timings.
The circular was first issued on July 9, 2015. The DME noted that the instructions on duty timings for PGs and CRRIs (Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship) have not been adhered to. The deans of government medical colleges were requested to follow the duty timings. The regular duty time for PGs and CRRIs are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on all days except admission day. After 2 p.m., they are on call duty as per their duty roster.
On admission days in the respective units, all PGs and CRRIs will work from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. After this, they should divide into two batches — the first batch would work from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and second batch would work from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m., the next day.
Post-admission day, the regular duty would follow.
G. R. Ravindranath, general secretary of Doctors Association for Social Equality, who recently filed a public interest litigation petition in the Madras High Court in this regard said, “CRRIs and PGs continue to work on a 36-hour-long duty. Long working hours is causing a lot of stress in them. They should have stipulated duty timings, and the government should implement the existing order on timings.”
With the court case filed, officials said the circular was re-issued as a reminder for all heads of institutions under the directorate.
