NMC Directs Medical Colleges to Submit Compliance Report on Anti-ragging measures, gives deadline

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has asked all the medical institutes across the country to submit compliance report on the Anti-Ragging measures by June 30, 2023.

Referring to the "National Medical Commission (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions) Regulations, 2021", the Apex medical commission has pointed out that while it has already been one and half years since the regulations were passed, medical colleges, institutes have not yet submitted the compliance report as per the directions.

Writing to the Principal/Dean of all the medical institutes, the PG medical education board of NMC mentioned on June 7, 2023, "All the colleges are directed to comply with the Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institution, Regulations, 2021 and submit Compliance Report as per attached format to this Commission at the earliest and latest by 30th June 2023."

"The report for the period ending 31st March, 2023 should include all the complaints received after UG & PG admission of 2021 & 2022 batch," it further mentioned.

Over the years, NMC has addressed the issue of ragging in medical colleges and introduced measures to put a stop to it. Medical Dialogues had reported back in 2021 that NMC in the regulations titled "Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions Regulations, 2021" had specified the disciplinary actions to be taken while dealing with complaints of ragging in the medical colleges.

Those Regulations specified the definition of ragging and also the actions that may constitute ragging. NMC also mentioned about 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.

In the regulations, NMC also mentioned the ways to deal with incidents of ragging and the regulations also contained the formats of undertaking by the students, parents, and head of the medical college.

Also Read: NMC Frames Regulations to Prevent and Prohibit Ragging in Medical Institutes

Later, in an attempt to address the instances of ragging in the medical colleges NMC set up an anti-ragging cell to examine and resolve complaints forwarded by anti-ragging committees of different medical colleges. Issuing an order in this regard last year, NMC the Apex medical education regulatory body informed that the cell members of this anti-ragging cell shall meet once every month in order to take up the ragging complaints and undertake an independent enquiry.

Once again, addressing the issue, NMC PG board has written to the heads of the medical colleges and mentioned, "A module/portal is available on NMC website for lodging complaints by the medical students. NMC use to forward the complaints received on this portal/module to the college."

Referring to the fact that colleges are found not to respond to the complaints in time, NMC asked the colleges to address such issues promptly and mentioned in the letter dated June 7, "It is observed that colleges do not responded to the complaints forwarded to them in time. Therefore, all the colleges are requested to promptly attend the complaints forwarded to them and send compliance report immediately. Not responding to the complaints will be viewed seriously."

Further referring to the Anti-ragging Regulations, 2021, NMC mentioned, "National Medical Commission has notified "National Medical Commission (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions) Regulations, 2021" on 18th Nov 2021. As per Para 7 (3)(vii) and 18(2) of Regulations 2021, all medical colleges / Institutes are required to submit "Compliance Report" in the prescribed format (Copy attached) to this commission annually. Since, the issue of these regulations, one and half year has already elapsed, yet Medical Colleges / Institutes have not submitted the said Compliance Report."

Therefore, the medical colleges have been directed by NMC to comply with the regulations and submit a compliance report by June 30, 2023. Along with the letter, NMC has also attached a format for submitting the compliance report.

In the compliance report, the colleges will have to submit details including the name of the college, address, contact number, name of the Head of the Institute. Further, the colleges will have to inform NMC if Prospectus, Information Bulletin and Website carry Anti-Ragging Regulations and mention possible actions against ragging, if Anti-Ragging Committee and Squad has been constituted, if the names and telephone number of authorities to be contacted have been publicized and made available to freshers, if the students are allowed free access to phones in Hostels and mechanisms are available for immediately contacting the authorities, if seniors and freshers are counselled in this regard etc.

Apart from this, the colleges will also be required to submit the details of the Anti-Ragging Committee and Squad including their date of formation, name of member and their contact number. In case of the Anti-Ragging Committee, further details such as number of meetings held, visits to hostels/other areas, other measures taken, number of cases detected, action taken as follow up- these details are required.

The colleges will also have to submit the details of Anti-Ragging Squad including their roster of checks, frequency of checks, surprise checks/raids, number of cases detected, action taken as follow up etc. Number of investigations, administrative/penal actions, first information reports, etc will are also required. Colleges will have to inform NMC whether undertaking has been taken from the students, and their parents/guardians.

To view the notice, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-anti-ragging-211427.pdf

Also Read: Ragging Menace: NMC sets up anti-ragging cell to address complaints from medical colleges