A new directive imposing fines for appearance and workplace conduct at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) in Lucknow has sparked intense backlash from its workforce. The order, issued by an outsourcing agency, targets approximately 4,000 outsourced employees with a series of penalties that many staff members have labeled as arbitrary and discriminatory.

Under the new rules, male employees face a ₹200 fine for keeping long hair or a beard while on duty, while female employees will be penalized the same amount if they fail to wear their hair in a bun or a hairnet. The penalty also extends to uniform violations, with a ₹100 fine for missing identity cards and ₹200 for failing to wear the prescribed uniform.

The directive also outlines fines for behavioral issues, including a ₹500 penalty for sleeping, smoking, or consuming alcohol during shift hours. In extreme cases, the agency has warned of termination and the filing of an FIR. Furthermore, the directive also states that unauthorized absences can lead to fines ranging from ₹500 to ₹2,000. For computer operators at service counters, the rules go a step further, requiring them to deposit their mobile phones before starting their shifts.

Employee unions have demanded an immediate rollback of the order, pointing out that such stringent restrictions are not enforced at other major Lucknow institutions like King George’s Medical University (KGMU) or Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPIMS). Protesting workers argue that the penalties are excessive and unfairly target the most vulnerable segment of the hospital’s staff. While the institute maintains that the measures are intended to improve professionalism and discipline, the growing anger among the workforce has put pressure on authorities to reconsider the mandate.