83% of Doctors in India Report Mental Fatigue, 70% Cite Workplace Safety Concerns

Time of India

4 days ago

New Delhi: Medical brand Knya on the occasion of National Doctor's day has launched Knya Vitals 2025: Behind the Scrubs, a nationwide survey capturing insights from over 10,000 healthcare professionals across the country. The report intends to highlight the emotional, ethical, and physical toll of practising medicine in India today.
The report finds that 83 per cent of doctors experience mental or emotional fatigue, with the rate rising to 87 per cent among women.
One in three doctors reports having less than an hour each day for personal time, including rest and time with family. Workplace safety remains a serious concern, with 7 out of 10 respondents saying they do not feel safe at work.
The report also states that 1 in 2 medical professionals feel pressured by their institutions to act against the Medical Code of Ethics. Among women doctors, 70 per cent say they feel unsafe at work, and 75 per cent regret entering or continuing in the medical profession.
Fatigue levels are higher in smaller cities, with 85 per cent of respondents in tier 2 and 3 locations reporting emotional or physical exhaustion, compared to 74 per cent in Tier 1 cities.
The survey indicated that doctors in India are also working significantly longer hours than the national average. Half of the surveyed medical professionals report working more than 60 hours a week, and 15 per cent work beyond 80 hours.
Professionals in the 25–34 age group report the longest hours, highest levels of fatigue, and the most regret about career choices. This regret, however, drops notably after the age of 35.
The report also highlights the compensation aspect. In terms of compensation and recognition, 43 per cent of respondents feel underpaid and cite inadequate institutional support during the most demanding years of their careers.
Doctors practicing in tier 2 and 3 cities such as Nagpur and Aurangabad report more severe fatigue and safety concerns than their counterparts in larger metros, attributing this to limited mental health resources and overburdened infrastructure.
According to the report, concerns about artificial intelligence displacing jobs are minimal, with fewer than 1 per cent of doctors viewing AI as a threat. Instead, 55 per cent of respondents fear burnout or mental health breakdowns, 50 per cent worry about a collapse of the public healthcare system, and 48 per cent cite concerns about physical safety in their workplace.
Long working hours were identified by 58 per cent of respondents as the most significant barrier to well-being, followed by patient overload at 46 per cent and administrative burden at 36 per cent.