1 in 7 PG doctors quit AIIMS and JIPMER midway, RTI data shows
By TUF News Desk · Published 13 November 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Nearly one in seven doctors who won a postgraduate seat at one of India’s most sought-after medical institutes walked away before finishing the course. Replies to Right to Information queries show 476 of 3,123 resident doctors admitted to nine All India Institutes of Medical Sciences and the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry quit midway over the past three years. That is about 15 in every 100.
The figures were compiled by the United Doctors Front (UDF), an association of resident doctors, from RTI replies filed with the institutes. The data covers different admission batches between 2024 and 2026, and the institutes did not all report for the same period.
Where the exits are highest
AIIMS Gorakhpur recorded the sharpest rate. Thirty-three of the 106 postgraduate students admitted there left, which works out to 31 percent. JIPMER Puducherry was next, with 104 of 387 students quitting, or 27 percent. AIIMS Nagpur saw 39 of 190 leave, about 21 percent.
At AIIMS Delhi, the country’s best-known medical institute, 93 of 591 junior residents who joined in 2024 and 2025 resigned before completing their programmes. That is 16 percent. The yearly split shows some improvement: 60 of 324 left in 2024, against 34 of 267 in 2025.
The trend held through last year alone. In 2025, 233 postgraduate doctors left their courses across the 10 institutes, against 1,480 admissions, or 15.7 in every 100.
Why doctors are leaving
Doctors who quit pointed to the same set of problems: shifts that stretch beyond 36 hours, a hostile work culture, mental harassment and too little institutional support. Dr Lakshya Mittal, chairperson of the UDF, called the trend deeply concerning and blamed working conditions. These are among the hardest postgraduate seats in the country to win, and candidates spend years preparing for the entrance exams that lead to them.
The UDF has asked for an urgent inquiry into why residents are resigning, strict enforcement of working-hour rules for resident doctors and an independent grievance process where doctors can raise complaints without going through their own departments.
What the numbers do not prove
The figures come with a warning. Each institute reported for different batches and periods, so the rates cannot be compared institute to institute with precision. Some institutes reported junior residents while others reported postgraduate students, and the categories do not line up neatly. What the replies do show is that exits are happening at every institute surveyed, not at one or two.
What this means for PG aspirants
For doctors preparing for NEET PG, the data is a reason to look past a college’s name and rank when filling choices. Talking to current residents about duty hours and department culture is worth doing before locking a seat, and our guide to choosing a university in India covers what else to check. NEET PG Round 2 registration is open till 3 pm on November 14, with choice filling till 11.55 pm on November 15. Candidates can check seat details on the official MCC counselling portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many PG doctors quit AIIMS and JIPMER?
476 of the 3,123 resident doctors admitted over the past three years left before finishing their courses, about 15 percent, according to RTI replies compiled by the United Doctors Front.
Which institute had the highest dropout rate?
AIIMS Gorakhpur, where 33 of 106 postgraduate students left, or 31 percent. JIPMER Puducherry followed at 27 percent and AIIMS Nagpur at 21 percent.
Why are PG doctors leaving AIIMS and JIPMER?
Doctors cited long duty hours, including shifts beyond 36 hours, a hostile work culture, mental harassment and too little institutional support.
What has the United Doctors Front asked for?
An urgent inquiry into the resignations, strict enforcement of working-hour rules for resident doctors and an independent grievance process.
Frequently asked questions
How many PG doctors quit AIIMS and JIPMER?
476 of the 3,123 resident doctors admitted over the past three years left before finishing their courses, about 15 percent, according to RTI replies compiled by the United Doctors Front.
Which institute had the highest dropout rate?
AIIMS Gorakhpur, where 33 of 106 postgraduate students left, or 31 percent. JIPMER Puducherry followed at 27 percent and AIIMS Nagpur at 21 percent.
Why are PG doctors leaving AIIMS and JIPMER?
Doctors cited long duty hours, including shifts beyond 36 hours, a hostile work culture, mental harassment and too little institutional support.
What has the United Doctors Front asked for?
An urgent inquiry into the resignations, strict enforcement of working-hour rules for resident doctors and an independent grievance process.
Sources: Onmanorama, Careers360, The Times of India