Student association of Grant Medical College file petition against dean

The students' association of Grant Medical College has filed a petition with the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and the education minister, against Dr Ajay Chandanwale, who was appointed dean in December last year. They have said that acts of enforcing a dress code and moral policing is leading to mental trauma.

In a series of stories, mid-day highlighted the plight of medical students at the state's biggest government-run medical institute Grant Medical College, which is attached to the JJ Hospital. The issue came into light when the dean issued instructions during the annual college festival, dictating that female students could not wear shorts or short dresses. Female students were also instructed to dance and sit separately from male students.

Following months of discrimination and harassment, the students' association has filed a petition to DMER and the education minister, Girish Mahajan. The letter states, "Moral policing in the campus has been carried out regularly by the orders of dean, where boys and girls aren't allowed to talk to each other in college campus after college hours. Dress code and unreasonable timings for girls' hostel during the annual college fest, Asthiva. Girls were screened on the basis of their outfits by faculty member sent by dean's order including ladies hostel warden Dr Shilpa Patil [sic]."

The institute decided that female students could gain entry into their hostels only before 10 pm. The authorities even created an in-house library so women didn't have to step out of the hostel for studies, whereas male students are allowed to roam without any restrictions.

In the petition, the students have also complained that female students are often subjected to verbal abuse, especially those who have protested against the dean. "Protesting students have also been threatened of academic consequences by the college authority... The lady warden Dr Shilpa Patil abuses ladies representative every now and then. This has been a mental torture and representatives are traumatised [sic]," adds the letter. Dr TP Lahane, the director of DMER and former dean of the hospital, said he would look into the matter.

Also Read: JJ short skirt row: Dean has been harassing students since December 2018, says female student

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