NCSC issues notice to Jipmer, others on complaints of abusing students on caste lines

PUDUCHERRY: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has issued a notice to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) director, Puducherry chief secretary, DGP and SSP (C & I) to submit an action taken report on charges of students being harassed and abused on caste lines in Jipmer.

The commission director S Ravivarman in the notice dated May 9 warned that the commission would summon authorities concerned if they failed to submit the action taken report within 15 days of receipt of the notice.

Ravivarman said the commission received a complaint from a man belonging to a scheduled caste on Jan 5 this year, alleging caste abuse and atrocity and physical assault by the head of department of medicine in the institute. The complainant said the head of the department purposefully failed his son in the practical examinations on caste grounds forcing his son to resort to the extreme step of ending his life.

“…the commission has decided to investigate/ inquire into the matter in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it under Article 338 of the Constitution of India. You are requested to submit an action taken report to the undersigned within 15 days of receipt of this notice by NCSC Portal/post/ email. Please take notice that in case the commission does not receive a reply from you within the stipulated time, the commission may exercise the powers of civil courts conferred on it under Article 338 of the Constitution of India and issue summons for your appearance in person or by a representative before the commission,” said Ravivarman in the notice.

One of the former students, who lodged complaints of harassment and abuse at Jipmer, said the professor and head of a department used to threaten to fail them in practical examinations and discriminate against students based on castes and states. He submitted the complaint to Jipmer dean (academic). “The residents are subjected to physical harassment by the current head of the department such as pinching ears till they bleed, hitting residents on the head and hands with knee hammer and punching on the face. In one such appalling incident, one of the male residents was stabbed with an uncapped pen till his hand and scalp bled, followed by shoving the said resident against the wall and throttling his neck,” said the former student on the condition of anonymity.

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