Hyderabad: A DNB microbiology resident doctor has moved the Telangana high court alleging prolonged workplace harassment, professional isolation and caste- and religion-based discrimination at KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad, prompting the court to issue notices to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) and the hospital.Justice EV Venugopal, hearing a petition filed by Dr A Aishwarya, issued notices to the respondents and adjourned the matter to Nov 5. The petitioner has sought transfer to another accredited institution in Hyderabad to ensure the uninterrupted completion of her DNB training.According to the petition, Aishwarya alleged that her superiors stopped assigning departmental work to her in Nov 2025 and later barred her from accessing the microbiology laboratory in April, severely affecting her thesis work and academic progress.“She has also been subjected to professional isolation, pressure to resign, and religious and caste-related remarks by senior doctors,” her counsel G Silambareshan contended. He told the court that audio evidence allegedly capturing pressure on her to resign, as well as instructions preventing staff from interacting with her, had been submitted to the NBEMS.Although the NBEMS, following grievance proceedings in Sept, directed the hospital to provide a conducive environment and adequate academic support, the situation remained unsafe, Silambareshan argued. He urged the court to intervene and facilitate her relocation so that she could complete the DNB programme.Aishwarya further alleged that the atmosphere in the department had become increasingly hostile. According to her, the head of the department described her as “mentally unstable,” “hallucinating,” and “delusional.”“Reading these statements was extremely distressing and traumatic, and their circulation within the department has significantly affected my professional reputation and the trust necessary for me to function there,” the 33-year-old stated.The trainee doctor also alleged that she was subjected to “repeated comments/taunts concerning her religion from a senior,” along with “deeply distressing comments by another senior concerning my mother.”She further claimed that staff members were explicitly instructed not to interact with her, creating an atmosphere of isolation intended to pressure her into resigning.“I am not seeking to abandon my DNB training or refusing to comply with NBEMS directions. I want to complete my DNB. I am simply requesting a safe, structured and dignified path through which I can receive the education and training for which I was admitted,” Aishwarya urged the court.The high court is scheduled to hear the matter again on Nov 5.
