The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Ragging: students face suspension

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 28, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Ragging: students face suspension

Staff Reporter

First such incident in Stanley college: Dean

CHENNAI: Authorities in the Government Stanley Medical College in north Chennai are inquiring into a ragging incident in its nursing school. "Students involved in the incident would be suspended," said in-charge dean Mustaq Ahmed Khan.

According to the college authorities, the students of the nursing school joined the three-year diploma course after class X. Most of them were from rural areas. Until this year, the school had only six boys against 90 girls. Some time ago, the government decided to transfer nursing students from other parts of the state to the city's nursing schools in the three medical colleges — Stanley, Kilpauk and Madras Medical Colleges. Only the MMC offers degree and postgraduate courses in nursing. Other colleges offer diploma courses. The added student strength in the school has burdened its already overcrowded residential accommodation. The nursing school has a tutor in-charge besides faculty to supervise the students.

The first year students were admitted on January 19 but by Thursday, two students had sought to withdraw from the course, citing personal reasons. A third boy who wanted to discontinue was given leave so that he could reconsider his decision. The school now has 38 boys in the first year and 47 boys in the second year. Three days ago, second year students presented a memorandum to Dr. Khan seeking better amenities. Meanwhile, senior boys have been ragging the juniors, asking them to shave off their moustache. Some junior boys were asked to enact postures they found in adult magazines and warned against complaining to teachers.

Dr. Khan said suspending the students involved would serve as a deterrent to others.

A former dean has called for appointing a vice-principal to supervise the students, as the tutors were already burdened.

The doctors said though ragging was common among medical students, nursing students had never been victims before. "Never in the history of the college have nursing students been ragged. The six boys in the third year are gems," said the dean.

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