Anti-ragging panel a toothless tiger?

Hyderabad: Gandhi Medical College, which is in the eye of a ragging storm, doesn’t have a composite anti-ragging mechanism, forcing students to press the UGC helpline button for justice. Amidst a brewing controversy, several students alleged the college’s anti-ragging committee did not have representation from students, parents, civil administration, media or NGOs, making it a toothless outfit. Students feel that students, both seniors and freshers, in the committee could enhance its credibility.The National Medical Commission (NMC) notification, which is also available on the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) website, clearly mentions that the committee should be constituted by the head of the institution and have a diverse mix of persons of different levels and genders. However, 13 out of 15 members of the committee at GMC are from the college or Gandhi Hospital while two members are from police department.“We communicate all the guidelines of NMC with colleges. Even during admission time, we ask them to sensitise students about ragging and its implications. It is for them to form committees,” said B Karunakar Reddy, vice-chancellor, KNRUHS and part-time member of NMC.He said that the university is aware that all medical colleges constituted anti-ragging committees, but does not know much about its members. “We will again ask all colleges to form committees as per guidelines,” he told TOI.As per the details available on the GHMC website, Dr K Ramesh Reddy, principal, GMC, is the chairman of the anti-ragging committee. Its members include the superintendent of Gandhi Hospital, vice-principal of GMC, heads of seven departments from GHMC, wardens of girls and boys’ hostels, assistant director of GMC and inspector and SI of Chilkalguda police station. However, Dr K Ramesh Reddy said the committee need not have students or media as members. “None of the medical colleges has students, parents or media personnel as members. We only call them for enquiry when some incident happens,” he told TOI.The duties of anti-ragging committees include monitoring of anti-ragging activities, ensuring compliance with the provisions concerning ragging, investigating reports of ragging, or approve committees formed for this purpose.