BJ Medical College Clamps Down on Ragging Scandal: Three Students Suspended

A shocking ragging case at Pune’s BJ Medical College led to the suspension of three orthopaedic PG students. Following serious harassment claims by a junior’s mother, the accused were removed from the hostel. The college, under pressure, launched an inquiry under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act.

Mrudula Narale

Pune: A shocking instance of reported ragging has shaken the state-owned BJ Medical College in Pune, leading to immediate action against three second-year postgraduate students from the Orthopaedic Department. The college, which is attached to Sassoon General Hospital, suspended the accused students and sent them out of the hostel after a complaint was made about serious harassment of a junior medical student. The incident has once again put ragging culture in medical colleges into the eye of the storm and questions the administration’s initial reaction to the matter.

The complaint, brought by the junior student’s mother, also from Orthopaedic Department, detailed a trend of mental harassment, abusive remarks, and threatening behavior by the senior students. The allegations led to the college setting up an inquiry committee, which quickly investigated the issue and suggested punitive action. The three students were suspended and excluded from the hostel, a firm action by the college to tackle the issue. But sources indicate that the administration’s quick action was triggered by pressure from the state medical education ministry, since the complaint had earlier been neglected.

Two junior students made similar complaints about harassment by seniors in 2024, and in 2006, one case of juniors being compelled to late-night activities with seniors was exposed. These repeated instances point to the ongoing issue of preventing ragging in medical colleges, where hierarchic conditions tend to bring about such instances. The present case has attracted special attention because of allegations that one of the accused is a relative of a well-known educationist heading a prestigious institution, giving an added public interest dimension to the scandal.

The inquiry committee is still investigating the incident, questioning 10 to 15 students, both junior and senior, to determine the extent of the harassment. The probe is under way under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999, which provides for severe penalties for such acts. The college has promised to take action further on the basis of the committee’s final report, reflecting a zero-tolerance approach to ragging. The length of harassment is not made public, but the sources suggest that the victim was subjected to abuse for months before the matter was officially brought to light.

The incident has initiated wider debates on the necessity for strong anti-ragging provisions in medical schools. In spite of anti-ragging committees and provisions in the law, incidents keep surfacing, highlighting loopholes in enforcement and sensitization. The Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors has remained silent, with student representatives refraining from commenting publicly until the probe is complete. Meanwhile, the state medical education authorities have reaffirmed their determination to tackling the problem, conducting meetings in order to make them accountable.

The episode serves to highlight the need for systemic change to safeguard students against ragging and to create a secure academic climate. With the investigation ongoing, the emphasis continues to be placed on providing justice to the victim and enacting steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. For the time being, BJ Medical College is in the dock, its approach to the case set to establish a benchmark for addressing complaint of ragging in medical schools across the state.