Medical students suspect caste bias in marks

Those who dragged the institute to court earlier were barred from taking second year papers

Students belonging to the Scheduled Caste category in Vardhman Mahavir Medical College, under the aegis of Safdarjung Hospital, submitted a memorandum to the medical superintendent of the hospital alleging caste discrimination.

They alleged discrimination in marking of 2nd year exams, leading to majority of them failing in supplementary exams.

This is the same group of students who dragged the institute to court in 2010 and 2011 complaining discrimination in marking pattern. Among the 35 students, 24 failed in Physiology, one of the three courses in the first year.

After instructions by the court to conduct the exam again under supervision of the registrar of the university, all the students passed the physiology paper. Some students had flunked the exam many times.

The 24 students, who were nicknamed “the court batch”, were not allowed to take exams of second year along with the regular students.

“We were stopped from appearing in exams on the grounds of low attendance. The problem is that there is no effort to cover up missed classes due to time lost for supplementary exam for the first year," said Manish, a student who is a victim of the discrimination.

The court had directed the college to hold extra classes for the aggrieved students from reserved category. “We were not taught for even one hour of the total 72 hours as directed by the court,” said Ravi Kumar.

As the students could not appear for the exam with regular students, they had only one attempt left to appear in supplementary exam for second year papers.

In the regular batch 109 students from general category appeared in the main exam in the month of November 2011 out of which 104 students passed.

In the supplementary exam, conducted in March 2012, in which majority of the students were those who filed cases against the college, 20 students of 42 failed.
No second chance

“We do not even have the second chance,” said Manish.

In a document of National Commission for Scheduled Castes of July 2011, the commission noted that the college normally allotted roll numbers to the reserved category students in a row.

Roll numbers starting from 1 would be given to these students, making their identity clear and leaving ample room for discrimination against them by biased teachers.
It also pointed out that the university displayed the column of caste in attendance sheet, which is also against the rules.

“In written theory paper, students are not performing well but in face to face assessment for practical and viva (they) are satisfactory,” the commission noted.

In light of these observations, Dr P L Punia, chairman, NCSC, appointed a committee under Dr Balchandra Mungerkar to look into caste atrocities in the college.

“The report has still not been made public," said Dr Ajay Singh of Progressive Medicos Forum.

Dr Jayshree Bhattacharjee, principal of the college, refused to comment on the matter.