Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Andhra Pradesh Reaffirms 24-Hour Cap for Medical PG Duties
Andhra Pradesh has reminded medical colleges that postgraduate medical students cannot work for more than 24 hours continuously.
Their total duty must not exceed 74 hours in one week.
Every student must get one full day off each week.
Students who work at night must get leave the next day.
Work schedules must include lunch and dinner breaks.
Rosters should also give students seven to eight hours of sleep.
Colleges must provide several kinds of leave and organise counselling for time and stress management.
Officials can take action against institutions that do not follow the rules.
Andhra Pradesh has barred medical postgraduate students from working more than 24 continuous hours or 74 hours a week.
Students must receive one full day off weekly and mandatory leave after night duty.
Duty rosters must include 30-minute meal breaks and allow seven to eight hours of sleep.
Each student is entitled to 20 paid casual-leave days, five academic-leave days and 52 weekly holidays annually.
Colleges must submit monthly compliance reports, hold review meetings and improve junior doctors’ washroom water facilities.
- Who
- The Andhra Pradesh medical education authorities, government medical colleges, teaching hospitals and postgraduate medical students are involved.
- What
- The Director of Medical Education reiterated limits on duty hours and requirements for rest, leave, welfare facilities and compliance monitoring.
- When
- The instructions were issued after representations from the Junior Doctors’ Association; monthly reports are due by the 10th, with one account specifying the following month.
- Where
- Government medical colleges and government teaching hospitals in Andhra Pradesh.
- Why
- The directions followed concerns about PG students’ duty hours, leave and welfare and were intended to enforce existing guidelines.
- Maximum continuous duty
- 24 hours
- Maximum weekly duty
- 74 hours
- Weekly rest
- One full day of leave
- Post-night-duty rest
- Mandatory leave the following day
- Meal breaks
- At least 30 minutes for lunch and dinner; breaks do not count as duty hours
- Annual leave
- 20 paid casual-leave days, five academic-leave days and 52 weekly holidays
- Compliance and facilities
- Monthly reports and review meetings are required; drinking water and uninterrupted washroom water must be provided within one month
