Dr. Mrunal Pathak, dean of academics at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Nagpur, replaced the class representative and suspended seven second-year MBBS students for six months.
Insiders claimed that the move was taken as a result of an altercation that occurred when these students summoned first-year classmates to their dorm rooms at night. The representative of the class was one of the seven.
In her suspension letter dated November 22, Dr Pathak didn’t mention the exact charge over which such rare and severe punishment was handed out to the seven students. The letter only mentions that “this is due to gross indiscipline on your part and violation of institute rule”. The suspension period is from November 23, 2022, to May 22, 2023. Expressing shock, some faculty members said one or two month suspension is acceptable in case a major breach is committed, but such but such long punishment could ruin careers.
Dr Pathak said, “Deliberations are underway over the action, and it may be revoked.” She refused to mention the exact cause for her action.
The students were allegedly not allowed to attend classes on Wednesday and also spent time in the parking lot.
Dr Vibha Dutta, director, AIIMS Nagpur, said the suspended students were still in the campus and they would deliberate over the action. “We shall also talk to their parents.
They are our kids too. The institute encourages taking corrective measures and helps establish a positive attitude among students. We not only want them to be good doctors but also good citizens. It is important to institute a sense of right and wrong in day to day life. We are concerned about their mental, physical and spiritual well-being.
