New Delhi : The National Medical Commission (NMC) has received 88 ragging complaints from postgraduate medical students in private medical colleges across India between January 2023 and January 2025, according to an RTI response filed by Dr. Lakshya Mittal, National President of the United Doctors’ Front (UDF).
The data highlights a concerning trend of ragging incidents in postgraduate medical education, with Uttar Pradesh (13), Bihar (10), Odisha (10), Maharashtra (8), Madhya Pradesh (8), and Tamil Nadu (7) reporting the highest number of complaints.
Key Findings from RTI Response
- 18 medical colleges were named in the complaints.
- In 9 cases, the NMC’s Anti-Ragging Committee (ARC) concluded no incident of ragging.
- In two cases (Sree Mookambika Medical College, Kanyakumari and Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute, Dehradun), NMC teams conducted site visits and issued advisories.
- Five colleges were advised to support affected students in completing their courses.
- Only one college—MGM Medical College, Maharashtra—suspended two PG students involved in ragging.
- The ARC report is still pending for the case at Institute of Medical Science & SUM Hospital, Odisha.
Criticism and Concerns
Dr. Lakshya Mittal expressed concern over the lack of concrete disciplinary action:
“Despite rising complaints, most were closed after online hearings or vague ARC conclusions. In many cases, colleges received only advisories without penal consequences,” he said.
He criticized the absence of stringent enforcement, stating that:
“The failure to impose significant penalties questions the seriousness of anti-ragging enforcement and compromises the safety of junior doctors in private institutions.”
Call for Reforms
Dr. Mittal emphasized the need for:
- Stricter and time-bound investigations,
- Transparent reporting of outcomes,
- Concrete punitive action against both perpetrators and non-compliant institutions,
- Stronger institutional accountability mechanisms to protect medical trainees.
