In a disturbing case of ragging, Raipur's Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College witnessed a serious incident where second-year MBBS students allegedly harassed and bullied first-year juniors, demanding photos of female students and imposing strict dress codes. This is the first reported incident of ragging at the college in nine years. Following complaints, the administration has suspended two second-year students, Deeparaj Verma and Anshu Joshi, for 10 days.

The harassment came to light when family members of the victims filed a formal complaint with the National Medical Commission (NMC). According to reports, the seniors created a WhatsApp group where they demanded photographs of junior female students and instructed all juniors to keep their hair cropped short, avoid stylish attire, and adhere to a conservative dress code. Complaints indicated that new students were pressured to conform to these degrading demands, creating an environment of fear and intimidation within the college.

This is not the first time Raipur Medical College has faced a ragging controversy. In 2015, 86 students were suspended after violating anti-ragging rules during a prohibited fresher’s party. More recently, a ragging incident in 2022 at a dental college led to disciplinary action against three students. Despite the college’s anti-ragging policies and mandatory affidavits signed by students against such practices, incidents like this raise questions about the administration's vigilance.

The complaint against the two second-year students, submitted to the anti-ragging cell on October 26, led to a swift investigation. After the allegations were confirmed, Verma and Joshi were barred from attending classes and clinical postings for ten days. College authorities carried out the suspension on November 4, with oversight from the anti-ragging cell.

According to Dr. Rakesh Gupta, President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Raipur, students had raised concerns about ragging with the college administration over a month ago, but no action was taken until the NMC intervened. Only after social media posts tagged the NMC did the college take notice, resulting in the recent suspensions. Dr. Gupta also noted reports of further threats from seniors after the complaint was filed, exacerbating the juniors' fears.

The college has an anti-ragging cell and requires all students to sign an affidavit pledging against ragging. Furthermore, fresher parties are officially banned to prevent any opportunities for misconduct. However, the recurrence of such incidents highlights the need for stricter enforcement and more robust preventive measures.

The recent incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenge of ragging in educational institutions and emphasizes the need for stronger mechanisms to protect students from harassment and bullying within college campuses.