Long hours hurting resident docs’ mental health, NMC tells SC

Long hours hurting resident docs’ mental health, NMC tells SC

TNN | Aug 2, 2026, 05.17 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Long and crushing working hours have become a serious challenge for resident doctors, causing them psychological distress and mental health problems. Flagging the issue in an affidavit before Supreme Court, National Medical Commission (NMC) has stressed that reasonable working hours and time for rest are a must for their wellbeing and proper functioning, as well as proper patient care. It, however, expressed its inability to ensure the same, saying the matter falls within the domain of central and state health authorities.

In the affidavit filed in response to a PIL by a group of doctors seeking healthy working conditions, the commission placed the findings of its task force, which had projected a grim picture of what doctors have to endure.

“The demanding schedules, including long and multiple 24-hour duties (sometimes 3-5 consecutive duties), were significant stressors for most post graduate doctors. These extended hours without adequate rest led to physical and mental exhaustion, negatively impacting their performance and health,” commission said, referring to the report.

Doctors’ organisation ‘United Doctors Front’ had approached the court demanding healthy working conditions, pointing out that cases of doctors’ suicides are on the rise and claiming that 150 such cases have been reported in five years.

NMC to focus on ability, not just disability MBBS Admission:

NMC to focus on ability, not just disability MBBS Admission: 

New Guidelines Mandate Case-By-Case Assessment

 Anuja.Jaiswal@timesofindia.com 29.07.2026

New Delhi : Students with benchmark disabilities seeking admission to MBBS courses will now undergo an individual assessment of their functional abilities to determine whether they can acquire essential competencies required for the course with reasonable accommodation. 

National Medical Commission (NMC) on Monday issued new guidelines requiring medical boards to evaluate each candidate’s functional ability rather than relying solely on the type or extent of disability. 

Under the new framework, NMC-regulated medical colleges will now also have to set up an “enabling unit” for students with benchmark disabilities, providing a single point of contact for reasonable accommodation, academic and clinical support, and a barrierfree learning environment. Designated medical assessment boards will carry out an individual assessment of every candidate. 

The guidelines state that applicants cannot be declared ineligible solely on the basis of their diagnosis or the percentage of benchmark disability. Instead, boards must assess a candidate’s functional abilities, the essential competencies required under competency-based medical education curriculum, and whether reasonable accommodation can enable them to complete the course. 

“After Supreme Court’s constant follow-up and directions, NMC has amended its interim guidelines and issued revised guidelines for MBBS admissions of students with disabilities,” said Prof Satendra Singh, coordinator UCMS and GTB Hospital’s enabling unit. 

“The biggest change is the shift from assessing eligibility on the basis of the percentage of disability to evaluating functional competency. Clinical accommodations are reasonable modifications that enable medical students with benchmark disability to participate in clinical training and patient care without compromising academic standards or patient safety,” the coordinator said. The guidelines also require medical boards to consider assistive devices, adaptive technology, communication support and other reasonable accommodations before arriving at a decision. 

While emphasising inclusion, NMC has said patient safety will remain an important consideration. On enabling units, NMC directed that these should be set up in compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the recent SC directions aimed at ensuring inclusive medical education. The unit will also receive and address requests for disability-specific accommodations during the course of study, including clinical training and internship, according to the circular.

EWS student allotted general MBBS seat, college demands ₹19L annual fee

EWS student allotted general MBBS seat, college demands ₹19L annual fee

 Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesofindia.com 25.06.2026

New Delhi : Supreme Court on Wednesday said that private medical colleges can not be prevented from charging higher fees than govt ones and forcing them to do so would result in their closure and harm to medical education. 

The bench while hearing a plea by an EWS student who was allotted a general category seat in a private medical college where he would be required to pay nearly ₹19 lakh as annual tuition fee, noted that the private medical colleges are barred from taking capitation fees and are selffinancing. 

“The annual tuition fee cannot be the same in a private medical college and a govt one. In the self-financing private colleges, every expense is to be borne by the colleges whereas the govt subsidies the expenses in the colleges under it”, said Justice Nagarathna. 

“The private colleges are also contributing in the field of higher education, including in the medical stream. If they are asked to take fees at govt rate, then they will close down and the medical education would suffer. If other states have implemented the EWS quota and if Rajasthan has not done it, the courts cannot direct private colleges to reduce fees”, she said. 

The petitioner whose parents have an annual income of less than ₹8 lakh, cleared NEET-UG 2025, said that he was “arbitrarily” allotted a general category seat in a private medical college and that ₹19 lakh being demanded of him was way beyond his means. His counsel said, “Non implementation of the mandatory 10% EWS reservation by providing only 12 EWS seats in the college having 150 seats diluting the constitutional mandate and prejudicing the Petitioner who was given admission in unreserved category despite having validly applied in EWS category.