New Delhi: The Delhi government’s practice of hiring junior doctors on an ad-hoc basis for just 44 days, with renewals granted only after a compulsory one-day break, has drawn sharp criticism from the medical fraternity. Several doctors have taken to social media to slam the system, calling it exploitative and detrimental to healthcare quality.
Interview Panel Doctor Flags Poor Clinical Skills
A female doctor who recently served on an interview panel for non-academic junior resident posts expressed alarm at the poor standard of applicants. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she revealed that many candidates, despite clearing the NEET PG exam, lacked even basic clinical knowledge and theoretical understanding.
NEET Ranks Raise Red Flags
According to her, candidates with ranks in the 2,000s were considered relatively strong and could secure postgraduate courses, yet their clinical skills were “deplorable.” She claimed that the situation was worse among foreign medical graduates, who performed far below expectations in terms of basic medical competence.
44-Day Contract Called a “Scam”
The doctor went further to describe the 44-day hiring system as a “scam,” arguing that it leaves doctors in a state of uncertainty without proper career growth. She noted that many applicants were compelled to accept such posts due to the burden of student and family loans, which forced them into insecure employment.
Comparisons with Exploited Labour Practices
One social media user likened the 44-day model to exploitative practices in manual labour, where workers are employed on 89-day cycles and rehired after a one-day break to avoid legal obligations like EPF and ESI benefits. He remarked that doctors were being treated even worse than manual workers under the Delhi government’s system.
Calls for Accountability in Medical Education
The online debate also highlighted concerns about the medical education system itself. Critics argued that blaming only students for poor knowledge is unfair, stressing that teachers, institutions, and policies must also be held responsible for the declining standards in medical training.
IMA Junior Doctors Network Joins Protest
Taking note of the controversy, Dr Dhruv Chauhan, National Spokesperson of the Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors Network, urged Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Health Minister Pankaj Singh to abolish the short-term contracts. He demanded that the government provide doctors with a minimum one-year job tenure.
“Doctors Hanging in Between,” Warns IMA
“Doctors getting jobs for 44 days keeps them nowhere on ground. They neither feel employed nor unemployed, but hanging in between worried about their next job,” Dr Chauhan wrote on X. He stressed that unless the policy is scrapped, it will continue to undermine both the morale of young doctors and the quality of healthcare delivery in Delhi.
