Stanley med college holds probe into illegal collection of money

Stanley med college holds probe into illegal collection of money

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.06.2021

Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University has temporarily suspended faculty in four departments of Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital from a panel of examiners after a man complained that his daughter failed in one of the clinical papers in her final year as she did not pay ₹10,000 demanded from students.

In his complaint, the parent said final year students received messages demanding ₹10,000 each “to arrange accommodation and food” for external examiners and “to show gratefulness to the department” as per “regular practice”. His daughter (name withheld) who did not pay the money failed the test held in May by 7 marks.

Following the parent’s allegation, a 10-member panel of professors from the college management conducted an inquiry on Friday. “Five members looked into why the student failed her medicine paper and others investigated why money was collected from students,” said dean Dr P Balaji. Preliminary inquiry showed that 223 out 246 students who wrote the exam had paid at least ₹10,000 each. Committee estimates that funds collected by student representatives ran into more than ₹22lakh.

After talking to student, examiners and looking into the answer sheets, the committee found the student had failed the clinical exam in medicine because of poor performance. “She is otherwise a bright student but in clinicals everything depends on how you interpret the given case on that day. She did not do it well,” said college vice principal Dr A Jamila, who chaired the inquiry panel.

But the panel did not rule out malpractices on campus.

Meanwhile, Dr Balaji said he will issue orders to stop collection of money on campus without approval from the dean or vice-principal.