MADURAI/THIRUPATHUR : The State government on Sunday removed Dr A Rathinavel as the Dean of Madurai Medical College and placed him on waitlist after first-year MBBS students were administered ‘Maharishi Charak Shapath’ instead of Hippocratic Oath at an induction ceremony held in the college on Saturday.
After the oath was administered to students at the event in which Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P Moorthy took part, the FM asked the dean whether the oath has been changed.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said traditionally doctors and students in Tamil Nadu were administered only the Hippocratic Oath, but Dean Dr Rathinavel violated the procedure and administered the ‘shapath’. The Dean has been placed on waitlist and Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr Narayana Babu will conduct an inquiry, the statement said.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr Rathinavel said students general secretary Jothi and Vice-Principal V Dhanalakshmi were responsible for it. “I went outside to welcome the ministers. They have taken the oath from the National Medical Commission website. Students have sent their explanation letters to Chief Minister MK Stalin and Health Minister Ma Subramanian,” Rathinavel said. Speaking to reporters in Tirupathur on Sunday, the health minister said a circular has been sent to all 36 medical colleges in the State to follow the traditional Hippocratic Oath.
Oath change a first in TN history: DME
Health Secretary Dr. J Radhakrishnan told TNIE the health minister has ordered a fair probe into the issue. DME Dr Narayana Babu said that it is the first time in Tamil Nadu’s history that students were made to take ‘Maharishi Charak Shapath’ instead of Hippocratic Oath. The Dean, who is head of the institution, is responsible, the DME said.
Meanwhile, speaking at a Tamil literary festival organised by Muthamil Mandram in Vaniyambadi, the minister said that earlier medical education was provided only to people who knew Sanskrit. “The situation has changed now with students taking medical education in Tamil and English. Many students from rural areas, particularly 555 students from government schools, have become doctors. This became possible due to 7.5% reservation.
About 8,050 students had joined medical courses this year in Tamil Nadu, which is the highest in the country. This has become possible because of the efforts of the CM,” Ma Subramanian said. Explaining the reason for setting up a Siddha Medical University, Ma Subramanian said, “Tamil Siddha medicine is as old as Tamil itself and it has a rich history.
The CM is committed to preserving Tamil culture and heritage. The Union government has been neglecting Siddha since 2012. AYUSH represented Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy and later Tibetian native Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine was included in AYUSH.
They later removed the 2,500-year-old Siddha system,” the minister said. As there are four universities and 250 colleges dedicated to Ayurveda in India, the CM decided to set up a university dedicated for Siddha. A Siddha college with 100 beds will also be set up in Namakkal,” the minister said.
Circular sent to 36 State medical colleges
Circular has been sent to all 36 medical colleges in TN to stick to the practice of Hippocratic Oath. DME Dr Narayana Babu said this was the first time in TN’s history students were made to take ‘Maharishi Charak Shapath’.