Medinirai Medical College Harassment Row: Doctors Demand Inquiry by NMC, NHRC, Health Minister
Medical Services Strained in Ramanathapuram
New Delhi: Raising the allegations of repeated harassment of medical students at Medinirai Medical College Hospital, Palamu, by the Principal, the doctors have now demanded a confidential investigation into the matter.
The United Doctors Front (UDF) has written to the National Medical Commission (NMC), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Jharkhand Health Minister, and a copy of the letter has also been sent to the District Collector of Palamu. The association has urged NHRC to take note of the matter and initiate an independent inquiry into the human rights violations.
Apart from the issue of student harassment, the association also highlighted inadequacies in the infrastructure- including the absence of water, electricity, academic support, and a transparent grievance mechanism. Allegations of students being fined Rs 5000 without any official receipts has also been highlighted in the letter.
Writing to NMC, the association has urged a compliance review and investigation of administrative and ethical lapses. UDF has urged the Health Minister of Jharkhand to conduct a high-level investigation immediately and consider suspending the Principal pending investigation to avoid influence over students and evidence.
Further, the association has sought direction upon the District Collector of Palamu to ensure protection for students by setting up a local redressal committee involving civil society and legal experts.
This comes amid the recent strike by the medical students at Medinirai Medical College, demanding the resignation of their principal, who was accused of harassing the students and threatening to ruin their careers.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the students had accused the principal of making inappropriate remarks to the female students and creating a hostile environment on campus. It was alleged that the principal had also imposed a strict prohibition on any interaction between male and female students.
The latest controversy started when a female student was made to wait outside the hostel gate for one hour at night for coming late from duty. While the hostel has a strict no-entry policy after 9 PM, the concerned female student was on duty at the medical college hospital, which is very far away from the hostel campus.
After being made to wait outside the hostel gate for one hour, the student was allowed inside only when the students started protesting about the issue. This allegedly led to an argument between the students and the principal.
In a video, shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Principal could be seen threatening the students to ruin their careers, while the students could be heard pointing out the lack of infrastructure and facilities at the medical college and how the students are unable to appear in the PG examination due to the delayed academic calendar.
According to the students, there is no water in the boys' hostel, and there is a lack of electricity. They also could be heard saying that their entire year got wasted because of the delay in conducting exams.
In the latest letter addressed to NMC, NHRC and Jharkhand Health Minister, UDF mentioned that it received multiple written and verbal grievances from students of Medinirai Medical College and Hospital, Palamu, against the conduct of the Principal, Dr. P.N.Mahto.
Addressing the issue, UDF mentioned in the letter, "The students have raised serious concerns, including repeated harassment, threats, public humiliation, body shaming, suppression of student voices, and denial of basic amenities...However, all complainants have requested to remain anonymous due to a prevailing climate of fear, intimidation, and potential retaliation, which further confirms the lack of a safe and functional grievance mechanism at the institution."
"These grievances, shared independently by multiple students, point to a consistent and troubling pattern of abuse of power and violation of medical education norms, including those laid out under the Central Residency Scheme 1992, NMC PGMER 2023, and student welfare guidelines," UDF mentioned in the letter as it urged NMC, NHRC and Jharkhand Health Minister to take action.
