Microbiology Professor Sent on Leave for Allegedly Using inappropriate Language in classroom, Medicos Demand Termination

This comes after the students made a complaint before the Director and alleged that the male professor from Microbiology Department used inappropriate gestures in front of the classroom filled with female students and also used abusive language at them. Soon the audio clip and video footage of the incident started circulating on social media platforms and several doctors expressed their solidarity with the students.

During the initial probe, the Professor allegedly accepted using such offensive language "in a rage". "The report by the College Committee has been forwarded to the DMER for further action," the Director of the medical college, Dr. Rajiv Mahendru informed Medical Dialogues.

However, the students have started demanding the termination of the professor and they are planning on initiating a protest on this issue, confirmed a student from the 2019 MBBS batch who witnessed the incident.

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The incident took place three days ago when the said Professor was taking a class and was allegedly using a "humiliating tone" while asking questions to the students. However, the incident took an unfortunate turn when the Professor called a few of the students to the podium and asked them to give a summary of what was taught.

"While one of our batchmates was speaking, the rest of the students in order to appreciate her started clapping, and a few of the students started whistling. The Professor then asked us not to do that. At that time it didn't seem that he was angry or anything," a 2019 batch MBBS student at the medical college who witnessed the incident informed Medical Dialogues.

"As sir was leaving, someone whistled again. We don't know what happened as sir was by that time already at the gate. Then he came back to the podium and said 'tum kaminapan dikha rahe ho, main tumhe dikhata hoon kaminapan kya hota hay'. After this he started using abusive and derogatory words to all of us, our parents, our college, and also was doing offensive hand gestures along with it for around five minutes," she added.

"For the initial few seconds, we couldn't believe our ears that this was our professor speaking. Afterward, some of the students started recording whatever he was saying and we complained before our Director seeking immediate action," further said the student.

When the students started insisted on immediate action, the Director of the Institute requested the students for 72 hours of time and a meeting was held immediately.

"When we talked to our seniors they said that this is not happening for the first time and this has happened on several other occasions previously as well," the student added.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Institute has informed that when a committee was formed to probe the matter, the Professor in question allegedly accepted using such words at students "in a rage".

"After the Professor accepted the charges, we withheld all the classes and other administrative responsibilities given to him and allocated them to someone else. The committee has also submitted its report to us and we submitted the same to the Disciplinary Committee of the college. We also consulted the DMER sir and sent the Professor on leave for the time," said Dr. Mahendru, the Director of the institute.

"We have also sent the committee report to higher authorities for disciplinary action," he added.

When asked if the Professor could be terminated as demanded by the students, the Director further added, "We have done everything that could have been one at the college level. We have forwarded the report to the DMER. Only Government can take any further action."

Even though the students have expressed their satisfaction over the immediate action taken by the college authorities, they are fixed on their demand to terminate the professor. While commenting on the matter, another student from the 2019 batch said, "Our prime motto was termination which hasn't been done yet. We know that such a decision lies in the hands of higher authorities and so we are planning on a strike. Those words were uttered towards all the women out there. So we want to involve the whole college in an indefinite strike demanding that the Professor is terminated from the post as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, medical associations like the Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors' Network (IMA-JDN) and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) have expressed their solidarity with the students of the BPS college.

While commenting on the issue, Dr. Karan Juneja, National Secretary of IMA-JDN said, "We stand unconditionally with the Students of BPS Haryana. There should be a massive movement against such characterless people."

Dr. Rakesh Bagdi, the President of FAIMA has also condemned the act and has said termed it as "inhuman" and "unethical". "We have sent letters and emails to the higher authorities so that strict action gets taken against the culprit. Besides, we are also going to approach the Women helpline at the National level," he added.

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