The Medical Council of India (MCI) has slapped a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on Darbhanga Medical College for not being fair in dealing with a ragging case, reported at the college on August 6 last year.
This is the first time that the MCI has taken such a step against any medical college in the state for a ragging-related issue.
On September 8, the MCI had also asked Aryabhatta Knowledge University, to which the college is affiliated, to put result of all students of the 2014 MBBS batch on hold regarding the same case. The university, however, published the results of the 2014 MBBS batch in December.
Sources said the decision to slap the fine was taken in the MCI's executive body meeting four days ago. According to the sources, the Medical Council of India would write to the college administration in this regard shortly.
Darbhanga Medical College principal R.K. Sinha said he was not aware of the MCI's decision.
In Darbhanga Medical College's case, the sources said, when the principal went to meet senior students in this case, they assaulted him and vandalised the institution.
Later, when the principal asked the senior students about the name of fellow students involved in the incident, they did not reveal anything after which the principal reported the matter to the MCI. A three-member team of the MCI visited the college later but the 2014 batch students did not cooperate with the team either.
Principal Sinha refused to say anything when The Telegraph asked which funds the college would use to pay the fine.
To the same question, health department deputy secretary Anil Kumar said: "The officials who have not conducted the probe fairly and the students who are accused in the matter are supposed to cough up the fine amount. The health department does not have any corpus for people who indulge in wrong activities. The department is not going to pay the penalty in any way."
In the MCI executive body meeting, the sources said, it was also decided that the students against whom allegations of ragging were levelled, should be suspended for six months. "The executive committee has also decided to advise the MCI sub-committee to recommend actions on ragging cases on this line in the future," added the MCI source.
Members of the Indian Medical Association state chapter, however, were divided over the MCI's move.
Its president Sachchidanand Kumar said the MCI should not impose penalty on the college. "Ragging incidents are hardly occurring in state-run medical colleges. This is the first time that any ragging case has been referred to the MCI. It should take a lenient view against the college."
However, IMA vice-president Sunil Kumar Singh said: "Ragging is a punishable offence and the MCI should take stand as per its law. The ragging incident reported from the college has definitely brought shame to the state-run medical institutions and MBBS students. The issue should be dealt with strictly."
MCI curtails seats
In another decision, the Medical Council of India has refused to give permission to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College (Gaya), Shri Krishna Medical College (Muzaffarpur), Darbhanga Medical College and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (Bhagalpur) to take admission on its additional seats of MBBS for which it got permission from the council two years ago.
While the MCI's decision will affect the admission for 50 seats at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College, it will affect 50 and 10 MBBS seats at Shri Krishna Medical College and Darbhanga Medical College, respectively. Admission to another 50 seats at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College will also be affected.
With the MCI's decision, Bihar would be left with 600 MBBS seats of 960 at state-run medical colleges. Shortage of faculty members, residents, bed occupancy at hospital are among some of the reasons cited by the MCI regarding its decision.
IMA member Sunil Kumar Singh looked unhappy with the MCI's decision. "The MCI takes microscopic view to investigate the government medical colleges while it gives a lot of liberty to private medical institutions. Bihar has dearth of doctors. The Medical Council of India should review its decision," he said.
