30 more BJ Medical students face action for ragging freshers
A 5-member committee of senior professors has held 30 medicos guilty of committing and abetting crime against juniors; two were suspended for the same in September after Mirror reported the woes of first year students
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, November 29, 2013 http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2013112920131129022320640fab562b8/30-more-BJ-Medical-students-face-action-for-ragging-freshers.html
A five-member committee has suggested punitive action against 30-odd students of BJ Medical College for ragging and abetting the crime on the campus. These are apart from the two seniors who were suspended about three months ago following a complaint by a freshman.
The panel was formed following an uproar in the college after the officials on the recommendation of an anti-ragging committee suspended the two students accused of ragging a first year student in September. Dr M F Shaikh, Dr M M Vegad, Dr Pankaj R Patel, Dr C A Pensi, and Dr Mira Desai, all senior medical professors, concluded that exemplary action should be taken to avert similar incidents in future.
“We feel the action taken should send out a strong message to student community. These students could be suspended for a certain period or even terminated. We are giving our recommendation and it will be for the (BJ Medical College) dean to decide what to do,” said a committee member. “It will be for the college to decide the seriousness with which to take our report,” the professor added. According to a committee member, the report is ready and signed by all except one. They expect to submit it to the dean once the member signs it by next week.
NOT REPORTING RAGGING IS ALSO A CRIME
The committee members spoke to several students from various batches one-on-one and in confidence. “Apart from the two students who were suspended, prima facie about 30 students, including seniors and juniors, have been held responsible for the incident. We have recommended action against them, too, as according to UGC norms, not only those who rag students but even those who watch it happen are responsible for the crime,” amember said. Even those who have been ragged but do not report the incident are held responsible for the crime, according to the anti-ragging guidelines.
TWO COMPLAINTS FORWARDED BY UGC
Said a source in the college, the action is taken is on the basis of just two complaints. Seven complaints of ragging, though anonymous, were sent to the college authority. A copy of some of these letters was sent to the UGC, too, the source said. The college received the first complaint (number GJ 788) forwarded by UGC on September 14 and closed the issue on September 26 by suspending Dhrumil Patel, final-year MBBS intern, and Nirav Patel, general surgery resident and vice-president of Junior Doctor's Association (JDA).
The officials received the second complaint (number GJ 827) on September 27. Sources said college officials tried to hush up the issue by telling UGC that the complaints were a conspiracy to defame the college even though it had already suspended two students and formed a committee to look after the episode. Fed up with the constant harassment by seniors, a first year student had reported the matter to UGC. While the apex body called the college five times and even emailed the complaint to the authorities, Dean Bharat Shah had claimed ignorance in the matter. However, the issue snow balled into a major controversy after more than 10 freshers told the college’s anti-ragging committee that Nirav Patel and Dhrumil Patel had been torturing them.
‘EVERY FRESHER WAS RAGGED’
“Every fresher has been ragged by the seniors at least four times till today,” a first year student had told Mirror on condition of anonymity. A day after Mirror carried a report on rampant ragging on September 17, the two PG students were suspended and an inquiry initiated against them. The move triggered protest by the PG students who blocked the lobby leading to the dean’s chamber, demanding immediate withdrawal of their suspension. Afraid that the situation might lead to violence on campus, the college authorities had called the cops. The students finally gave in and dispersed after the authorities made it clear to them that the suspension would not be withdrawn.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, November 29, 2013 http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2013112920131129022320640fab562b8/30-more-BJ-Medical-students-face-action-for-ragging-freshers.html
A five-member committee has suggested punitive action against 30-odd students of BJ Medical College for ragging and abetting the crime on the campus. These are apart from the two seniors who were suspended about three months ago following a complaint by a freshman.
The panel was formed following an uproar in the college after the officials on the recommendation of an anti-ragging committee suspended the two students accused of ragging a first year student in September. Dr M F Shaikh, Dr M M Vegad, Dr Pankaj R Patel, Dr C A Pensi, and Dr Mira Desai, all senior medical professors, concluded that exemplary action should be taken to avert similar incidents in future.
“We feel the action taken should send out a strong message to student community. These students could be suspended for a certain period or even terminated. We are giving our recommendation and it will be for the (BJ Medical College) dean to decide what to do,” said a committee member. “It will be for the college to decide the seriousness with which to take our report,” the professor added. According to a committee member, the report is ready and signed by all except one. They expect to submit it to the dean once the member signs it by next week.
NOT REPORTING RAGGING IS ALSO A CRIME
The committee members spoke to several students from various batches one-on-one and in confidence. “Apart from the two students who were suspended, prima facie about 30 students, including seniors and juniors, have been held responsible for the incident. We have recommended action against them, too, as according to UGC norms, not only those who rag students but even those who watch it happen are responsible for the crime,” amember said. Even those who have been ragged but do not report the incident are held responsible for the crime, according to the anti-ragging guidelines.
TWO COMPLAINTS FORWARDED BY UGC
Said a source in the college, the action is taken is on the basis of just two complaints. Seven complaints of ragging, though anonymous, were sent to the college authority. A copy of some of these letters was sent to the UGC, too, the source said. The college received the first complaint (number GJ 788) forwarded by UGC on September 14 and closed the issue on September 26 by suspending Dhrumil Patel, final-year MBBS intern, and Nirav Patel, general surgery resident and vice-president of Junior Doctor's Association (JDA).
The officials received the second complaint (number GJ 827) on September 27. Sources said college officials tried to hush up the issue by telling UGC that the complaints were a conspiracy to defame the college even though it had already suspended two students and formed a committee to look after the episode. Fed up with the constant harassment by seniors, a first year student had reported the matter to UGC. While the apex body called the college five times and even emailed the complaint to the authorities, Dean Bharat Shah had claimed ignorance in the matter. However, the issue snow balled into a major controversy after more than 10 freshers told the college’s anti-ragging committee that Nirav Patel and Dhrumil Patel had been torturing them.
‘EVERY FRESHER WAS RAGGED’
“Every fresher has been ragged by the seniors at least four times till today,” a first year student had told Mirror on condition of anonymity. A day after Mirror carried a report on rampant ragging on September 17, the two PG students were suspended and an inquiry initiated against them. The move triggered protest by the PG students who blocked the lobby leading to the dean’s chamber, demanding immediate withdrawal of their suspension. Afraid that the situation might lead to violence on campus, the college authorities had called the cops. The students finally gave in and dispersed after the authorities made it clear to them that the suspension would not be withdrawn.
