Haridwar Govt Medical College students go on indefinite strike over lack of facilities

Haridwar: Students at Govt Medical College in Haridwar went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday in protest against inadequate teaching facilities, ill-equipped laboratories and absence of basic amenities in the institute. The students also handed over a charter of 20 demands to the administration.Students raised concerns over the absence of drinking water in hostels, poor maintenance of toilets and certain departments, along with hygiene issues in the mess and irregular garbage collection on the campus. They also said students, particularly women, were restricted from going outside the campus."We do not have the permission to purchase things online, but teachers can avail online deliveries," the students told TOI. They also complained that "the campus lacked a canteen and that the area faced poor network connectivity". They added that there were no games or sports facilities and no festival celebration was allowed on campus. "Even the white coat ceremony – a significant rite of passage for new medical students – has not been held," they said.Some female students also accused some guards of misbehaving with them. "They enter our rooms and take photographs without our permission," they alleged.While the college dean and principal Dr CMS Rawat said he was on leave and was unaware of the strike, a college official, on condition of anonymity, said, "The problem has been resolved following a discussion with eight student representatives." However, the students said that "the strike is ongoing". The official maintained that all teaching facilities for 200 students – including those in first year and second year – are available in the college. He said students are taken to the district hospital, mela hospital and women hospital for clinical hospital studies. He said that only after an inspection by the National Medical Commission, the college was permitted to start enrolling students for first year courses on Oct 3, 2024, and for the second year courses in July 2025.The official said the construction agency had not yet handed over the college buildings. "The campus has no stadium or playgrounds, but indoor games are going to be organised this month. A 300 kg tower of BSNL will be set up within 15 days to resolve poor network issues, and municipal corporation officials are taking steps to regularise garbage collection," he added.Denying claims of "poor quality" of food served in the mess, he said, "The teaching staff as well as our dean are served the same food. Besides, there is a committee of students to supervise the quality."He admitted that the hospital and emergency wing were not fully functional and that the college was in "a nascent stage". He said only camp OPD was run on alternate days. "There is no facility of investigations, admission of patients, surgery and blood bank. These facilities will be added in due time," he said.