Dental college students who complained of harassment move HC

“We have filed a writ petition seeking immediate transfer of these students. Despite negative reports from two committees formed by the state,the college has neither been derecognised nor have the students been transferred. We want to save the academic year,and action against the college,” said advocate Samata Kakade.

The government had announced five months ago that the college would be derecognised after final consultation with the legal department. Unless that happens,the students can’t be accommodated elsewhere. “We can’t go back to that college and aren’t getting admission in another college mid-session,” said Masira Phodkar,one of the students.

The students,mostly women from Mumbai,alleged in February that the college had been harassing them ever since they complained about poor infrastructure and the lack of basic facilities. After most students returned home,sought transfers or demanded action against the college authorities,the Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD) of the state formed two committees in March to probe the allegations.

The MEDD subsequently agreed with the students.

A M Atram,deputy secretary to the state government,wrote to the Dental Council of India,“The college is not being run as per the regulation of DCI and does not have the environment necessary for imparting education. After investigations,the two committees were convinced that the complaints by the students were true.”

According to the students,the college had no lecturers for physiology and biochemistry. No practicals for anatomy,physiology,biochemistry and dental histology had been held,they said,adding the college did not even have a laboratory.

Students also complained that no demonstration on cadavers was ever given.

The women students also complained of having been locked up,starved,threatened,mentally tortured and humiliated on several occasions after they approached an NGO,Forum for Fairness in Education.

Aditi Sarda,administrator of the college,was not available for comment.

dipti.sonawala@expressindia.com