Citizens Raise Their Voices Against the Exploitation of Talented Young Doctors, Forced to Work for Salaries as Low as ₹35,000 a Month
By Dr. Nikhil Das
Barak Bani Digital Desk, 27th, October: Is an MBBS degree becoming a mirage today? The future of doctors is being crushed by a system that turns them into low-paid clerical workers in corporate hospitals. For years, middle-class families have been led to believe that becoming a doctor is a guaranteed path to financial security, social prestige and a respectable future.
Young men and women, barely 18 years old, nurture this dream with unwavering determination. Today, however, the harsh reality of the medical profession is exposing the hollowness of these promises. An MBBS degree, once regarded as a symbol of prestige and professional security, is increasingly being portrayed as the beginning of a struggle against exploitation within India’s healthcare system.
The profit-driven expansion of corporate hospitals and the rampant commercialisation of healthcare have raised serious concerns about the changing role of doctors. Instead of being able to devote themselves fully to saving lives, many young medical professionals allege that they are increasingly reduced to performing routine administrative tasks, including completing complicated insurance paperwork and preparing lengthy patient case sheets. The exploitation of talented young doctors, who are reportedly made to work for salaries as low as ₹35,000 a month, has triggered growing anger among students, parents and concerned citizens.
The plight of young MBBS graduates is particularly disturbing when viewed against the years of hard work and sacrifice required to earn the degree. After enduring years of rigorous academic training, sleepless nights, demanding clinical duties and substantial financial investment, young doctors enter professional life only to confront the harsh realities of the corporate healthcare sector.
According to aggrieved young doctors, many corporate hospitals appear to place little value on their medical knowledge, professional competence or clinical skills. Instead, they allege, hospitals seek inexpensive labour from professionals expected to work for 12 to 14 hours a day without raising objections. They question whether spending five and a half years studying medicine was intended merely to fulfil insurance companies’ requirements and handle an endless stream of paperwork and patient records.
Behind the attractive advertisements and glossy public image of large private hospitals, young doctors allege, lies a system of exploitation that leaves them frustrated, exhausted and increasingly disillusioned with their chosen profession.
From Assam’s Barak Valley to major metropolitan cities across the country, concerns are growing within the medical community over what many perceive as a systematic erosion of the dignity and professional standing of doctors. The monthly salaries offered to resident doctors and junior doctors after completing their MBBS degrees have reportedly fallen to levels that, in some cases, are said to be lower than those of junior clerical employees in ordinary offices.
For a monthly salary of just ₹35,000, young doctors may have to cope with demanding and irregular duty schedules, sometimes involving extended hours, the anger and frustration of patients’ families, and the pressure to meet hospital management’s documentation targets. The cumulative burden of clinical responsibilities and administrative work is raising serious questions about the impact of such working conditions on doctors’ physical health, mental well-being and professional development.
Medical practice, which should be rooted in humanitarian service, professional integrity and respect for human life, is increasingly being criticised for becoming an instrument of corporate profit-making. Critics argue that the commercial priorities of hospital management must not be allowed to undermine the dignity of medical professionals or compromise the quality of patient care.
Every year, lakhs of students aspire to become doctors, enduring the intense competition associated with the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Parents invest their lifetime savings, provident fund contributions and, in many cases, loans carrying high interest rates to finance coaching, medical education and related expenses. Their expectation is straightforward: once their children obtain an MBBS degree, the family will gain financial stability, social recognition and a secure future.
However, the current situation is leaving many parents deeply disappointed and financially vulnerable. Families burdened by educational expenses and debt are increasingly anxious about the prospects of their children, who may struggle to find suitable employment or be compelled to accept poorly paid positions despite years of demanding education and training.
The anguish among parents is reflected in a fundamental question: Was this the future they had envisioned when they encouraged their children to study through sleepless nights and make enormous personal sacrifices?
Unless the government and policymakers confront these concerns and take meaningful steps to address them, India could face a serious shortage of motivated and highly skilled medical professionals in the years ahead. Poor working conditions, inadequate remuneration and limited professional prospects could discourage talented young people from entering or remaining in the medical profession.
Experts and concerned citizens warn that the continued exploitation of young doctors threatens not only their personal lives and careers but also the overall strength of the country’s healthcare infrastructure. When a doctor’s physical and mental energy is exhausted by administrative paperwork, insurance approvals and documentation requirements, the time and attention available for clinical assessment and patient care may be adversely affected.
The consequences could extend beyond the medical workforce to the general public. Overburdened and demoralised doctors may find it increasingly difficult to provide the level of attention and care that patients require. This raises serious concerns about patient safety, treatment quality and the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.
The time has come for society to confront this reality. Young people around the age of 18 must not be encouraged to pursue medicine solely through promises of prestige, prosperity and guaranteed professional security. Students and their families deserve a realistic understanding of the opportunities, challenges and working conditions associated with a medical career.
There is also an urgent need to question the alleged modern-day system of servitude within corporate hospitals, where highly trained professionals may be compelled to work long hours for inadequate remuneration while shouldering excessive administrative responsibilities. Fair salaries, reasonable working hours, adequate rest, professional autonomy and respect for doctors’ clinical responsibilities are essential to building a healthy and effective healthcare system.
If immediate steps are not taken to protect the dignity of medical professionals and preserve the humanitarian values of the medical profession, critics warn that India’s healthcare system could become increasingly vulnerable to corporate interests and profit-driven priorities.
For the aggrieved medical community, affected families and concerned citizens, the demand is clear: talented young doctors must be treated as skilled healthcare professionals, not as cheap labour. Their education, expertise, time and dedication deserve fair recognition and appropriate remuneration.
The central question facing society is no longer simply whether an MBBS degree guarantees a secure future. It is whether India can safeguard the dignity of its doctors while ensuring that healthcare remains a service centred on human life rather than a business driven primarily by profit.
Barak Bani Dainik
