The Hindu : New Delhi News : AIIMS rejects Thorat report

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Thursday, Sep 20, 2007
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New Delhi

AIIMS rejects Thorat report

Aarti Dhar

Report alleged discrimination against SC/ST students

AIIMS questions Thorat panel methodology
‘Cannot be a bigger lie than the AIIMS report’

NEW DELHI: The AIIMS here has “rejected in totality” the report of the Thorat Committee instituted by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry to inquire into allegations of differential treatment of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes students at AIIMS.

The three-member committee, headed by University Grants Commission chairperson S.K. Thorat, had accused AIIMS Director P. Venugopal of “playing a pivotal role in instigating the anti-quota agitation” that broke out after the Government decided to introduce 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes in the higher educational institutions run by the Government. It had also alleged large-scale discrimination against SC/ST students at AIIMS.

AIIMS set up a committee of its own on May 24 to review the findings, observations and recommendations of the committee that “rejected” the official report, describing its composition as “biased” and accusing the members of arbitrarily exceeding its terms of reference.

The eight-member AIIMS Committee headed by C.S. Pandav also said the allegations made in the Thorat Committee were “biased and unsubstantiated”. “The Thorat Committee acted with a clear prejudice to deliver a misleading report that relies on imaginary facts, flawed methodology and baseless conclusions apparently with the sole purpose of discrediting the AIIMS,” it said.

Reacting to the AIIMS committee findings, Thorat Committee member K.M. Shyamprasad told The Hindu that the report was “sheer falsehood”. “There could not be a bigger lie than the AIIMS Committee report. It is just aimed to create sensation,” he said, adding that the committee had questioned the integrity of the Thorat Committee: “I don’t know what they are trying to prove when discrimination is all prevalent.”

He said the AIIMS Committee had questioned the methodology without knowing what methodology was used.

The AIIMS committee has accused the Thorat Committee members of interacting with certain chosen individuals without trying to reach out to a wider section of stakeholders including the SC/ST faculty. “The sample of students who were interviewed was minuscule and conveniently selected. Also, the questionnaire was developed in such a way that it led to replies in a biased direction.”

The AIIMS committee, also mandated to find ways and procedures for implementation of the observations and recommendations made to the Thorat Committee, has said allegations about the Institute’s role in the anti-reservation strike were “baseless and unjustified” as Youth for Equality – spearheading the agitation – did not exist. Secondly, a review of the processes at that time has revealed conclusively that the AIIMS administration had taken all possible steps to contain the impact of such a nation-wide expression of resentment on the campus.

On patient care management, the report suggests that systematic steps had been taken during the period of agitation to ensure continuation of services when some students had gone on strike.

On segregation of students on caste lines, the AIIMS committee report says it found no evidence whatsoever to substantiate the allegations made by the Thorat Committee.

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