BJ Medical College Anaesthesia Medico alleges ragging, probe launched

Pune: The authorities of B J Medical College (BJMC) and Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) have initiated a probe into the ragging complaint filed by a 24-year-old junior resident doctor.

According to a recent report by HT, officials were informed about the incident after the Junior Resident Doctor, studying in her first year of Doctor of Medicine course in Anaesthesia, complained to the college administration in this regard. As per her complaint, she was allegedly ragged and bullied by seniors while working in the department.

Taking note of her complaint, the BJMC authorities initiated a probe into the incident. Officials have informed the Daily that the matter is being probed by the post-graduate (PG) grievance redressal committee, which will submit a report in this regard.

Also Read: Anti-ragging committee of BJ Medical College probes complaint against three senior resident doctors

Commenting on the development, the PG Dean of BJMC, Dr. Shekhar Pradhan informed Hindustan Times that the committee has been constituted to investigate the complaint. He added, "The complaint was received last week and such issues are handled seriously. The complainant said she was harassed and ragged while working in the department. The entire investigation will be headed by the PG redressal committee."

The PG Dean further informed that the panel in charge of investigating the matter has started to record the statements of junior and senior students. Apart from the students, the committee will also record the statements of the students accused of ragging. Action against the accused doctors will be taken only after considering the report submitted by the committee.

"We are also recording the statements and responses of the faculty members and senior faculties to verify the facts of the complaint. The action will be taken after the report is submitted by the committee," Dr. Pradhan said.

An incident of harassment of female resident doctors was reported last year on December 31, 2023. Back then, some of the PG students at the male residents' hostel consumed alcohol, went to the resident hostel for the females and created chaos. After the drunk doctors smashed a window of the female hostel resulting in panic, two female residents lodged a complaint to the college administration.

The Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also took cognizance of the matter and slammed the college and hospital administration for the liquor party and the chaos that took place on the premises on the occasion of New Year's Eve. However, HT adds that no action was taken by the college authorities in this regard. 

Aiming to prevent ragging in medical colleges across India, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had earlier spelt out the regulations titled "Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions Regulations, 2021". It also specified the disciplinary actions to be taken while dealing with incidents of ragging.

NMC, the apex medical education regulatory body mentioned the measures to prohibit and prevent ragging by institutions including the duties and responsibilities of the institutes, measures required to be taken by the medical colleges, issue of migration, transfer or conduct certificates, measures to encourage healthy interaction between freshers and seniors, Sensitisation of institutional employees and staff towards ragging, Institutional committees and related measures, Anti-ragging squad, Student Affairs or Hostel Committee, duties of the universities, etc.

Also Read: NMC Regulations spell out Disciplinary Action for Ragging in Medical Colleges