Meghnil Chowdhury's commentary in this journal [1] draws attention to a practice familiar to many graduates of Indian teaching hospitals but seldom discussed. I write as a former intern who was a victim of this practice. Batting is often interpreted as an ethical failure of individuals, but I would like to argue that it should be thought of as an ethical consequence of organisational failure. Chowdhury rightly calls for accountability through cultural reform, transparent audits, trainee protection, and oversight by the National Medical Commission (NMC). Such accountability, however, cannot be meaningful without addressing the structural conditions that shape trainees' behaviour.
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