All Private Hospitals in Kerala Get One Shift System

Summary: The Kerala Government has ordered that a unified shift system be implemented for all the private sector hospital employees, vide Order dated October 18, 2025.

The order

An order passed by the Kerala Government on October 18, 2025, states that, irrespective of the number of beds in a private hospital, all its employees shall follow a unified shift system. This order was passed by the Department of Employment and Skills and will benefit hundreds of employees of private sector hospitals.
This order is an amendment to the previous order, as it permits a three-shift system for private sector hospital employees with more than 300 beds in the state.

The previous order

The previous order stated that

All employees of private sector hospitals, having bed capacity of more than 100 in the state, will be entitled to three three-shift system (6-6-12 hours).
It also includes overtime allowance for work more than eight hours per day, 48 hours per week or 208 hours per month.
In addition, restroom facilities in the hospital premise were to be provided to the employees, who did not have transportation to go back home.

The reviews and recommendations

This previous order was reviewed following opinions and recommendations from representatives of the health sector, recommendation of the Veerakumar Committee and suggestions from the Private Hospital Industry Liaison Committee. The previous order was amended and is now applicable to “all categories of employees in private hospitals in the state”, irrespective of the number of beds in the hospital.

Conclusion

The private health sector employees are a part of the noble profession of service and medicine. Given the number of patients, they often work above and beyond their capacity and duty, neglecting themselves in the process. They are humans too, and they also tire, like us, and deserve time to rest.

The Kerala Government has very thoughtfully taken this decision, which is indeed humanitarian. We often overlook the diligence of the private sector hospital employees, who work day in and day out selflessly. This decision to recognise their efforts will bring a smile to their faces.