New Delhi: How much time do teaching doctors spend away from hospitals, and what happens to patient care and classes when they do? The Centre is seeking detailed records from three Delhi medical institutions as an expert panel reviews summer and winter vacations for govt medical colleges faculty.
An expert committee constituted by Union health ministry to examine vacation and academic/on-duty leave arrangements for Central Health Service (CHS) teaching doctors had held its first meeting on Aug 31, according to official documents.
The ministry sought information from Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, ABVIMS and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Medical College and its associated hospitals. A reminder issued on Sept 28 said the required information had not been received. On Oct 28, RML Hospital directed heads of clinical departments to submit verified data within two days.
The prescribed format seeks details of faculty strength, the duration and actual dates of summer and winter vacations, the number of doctors allowed to take leave at a time, and the deployment of non-teaching doctors and residents during vacation periods. Institutions must also provide monthly data on outpatient attendance, admissions, ICU occupancy and surgeries for 2024-25 and 2025-26.
The committee will assess whether the existing 50% faculty roster ensures uninterrupted patient care and whether vacations affect undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, examinations, research and academic administration.
Sources alleged that some doctors combine vacations with academic leave and child care leave (CCL), extending their absence from work. One doctor was alleged to have taken academic leave nearly 100 times over the past 10 years, often for foreign visits. These allegations could not be established from the official documents and require documentary verification and a response from those concerned.
Sources also questioned whether faculty in certain central govt medical colleges face vacation and administrative rules that are not applied in the same way at institutions such as AIIMS, PGI and UCMS. The extent of any differences in the applicable rules remains to be established.
The ministry is also seeking details of outcomes from academic/on-duty leave, including research publications, grants, new projects, teaching initiatives and clinical skills acquired. Institutions have been asked whether doctors must submit reports after availing such leave and whether the outcomes are monitored.
The documents do not announce any decision to reduce or cancel vacations. The committee is gathering data to assess the existing arrangements.
