BHUBANESWAR: Even as ragging continues on campuses of state medical colleges despite the National Medical Commission (Prevention & Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges & Institutions) Regulations 2021, many of them are found violating the guidelines framed to curb the menace.
While the MCHs have formed anti-ragging committees and squads, the details of these committees are not publicised widely for the convenience of students. The regulations mandate all medical colleges and hospitals (MCHs) to display anti-ragging guidelines on notice boards and all prominent places on the campuses and hostels.
The MCHs are also required to update their websites with complete details and phone numbers, email ids of anti-ragging committee members, anti-ragging flying squad members, nodal officers and anti-ragging toll free helpline (1800-180-5522) to register complaints. Yet, many of the colleges are not adhering to these norms.
There are 11 government-run medical colleges in the State. Of the 108 ragging complaints filed with the UGC from April, 2022 till date, the highest number of complaints as far as MCHs are concerned have been registered by students of MKCG MCH at Berhampur. The number stands at 18, the latest being a first-year MBBS student being subjected to ragging by his seniors in February.
This is followed by four against Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College at Baripada and two each against Bhima Bhoi MCH at Balangir, Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Burla and Sri Jagannath Medical College and Hospital at Puri. From 2012 to April 2022, 35 cases of ragging were reported from MKCG MCH, again the highest among MCHs during the time period in the state.
Despite having the highest number of ragging cases, year after year, the MKCG MCH has not provided any details of its 23-member anti-ragging committee or flying squad members on its website. Although FM MCH has names of its anti-ragging committee members on its website, there are no phone numbers or email ids except for email id of the dean.
Meanwhile, MKCG MCH Dean Santosh Kumar Misra said he will look into the issue. “Every ragging complaint is being thoroughly probed by us but we will inquire about the absence of anti-ragging details on the website,” he said.