Maternity leave becomes expensive for PG doctors; The doctors’ organization requests remission of the reintegration costs

The Telangana Senior Residents Doctors Association (T-SRDA) has flagged the mandatory collection of redeployment fee of ₹15,000 from women postgraduate doctors availing maternity leave, terming it unwarranted and symptomatic of deeper systemic gaps in the way maternity leave is handled within government medical colleges in the state.

In a statement, the association said female postgraduate students will have to pay the fee after completing the mandatory three-month maternity leave to return to their courses. “Even after paying the amount, students have to wait another 15 to 20 days before receiving permission from the university, thereby being denied access to department facilities,” the statement said.

The association pointed to the lack of uniform and clearly communicated maternity leave guidelines as a key problem. It said that no standard protocols have been issued by the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), resulting in inconsistent practices in colleges and repeated confusion for students returning after childbirth.

Postgraduate physicians do not receive stipends during the extension period after maternity leave. Even after the extension is completed, benefits are reportedly delayed by four to five months, causing severe financial pressure and affecting the health of mothers and children at a critical stage, the doctors claim.

The representation also expressed concerns about the restrictions imposed during the extension period. “Female postgraduate doctors are not allowed to take casual leave during this period, even in case of medical emergencies or child health issues, despite having an eligible leave balance,” she added.

T-SRDA has demanded immediate waiver of the re-join fee of ₹15,000 along with formulation and dissemination of clear maternity leave and re-join guidelines applicable to all medical colleges.