ANMMCH students’ protest paralyses OPD services over hostel shortage

Gaya: OPD and emergency services at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) were paralysed on Monday as more than 400 students staged a protest over the lack of hostel facilities and other basic amenities.

Discontent had been brewing among students for several days, with many complaining that three batches have been living outside the college premises due to the unavailability of hostel accommodation.

The medicos alleged that despite repeated requests, students of the 2023, 2024 and 2025 batches have not been allotted hostel rooms and are compelled to live in rented accommodations by paying exorbitant rents.

A student from the 2024 batch told this newspaper that they were forced to launch the agitation as the college authorities had failed to address their concerns.

“The problem has not cropped up overnight. It has been brewing for years, but nobody bothered. Now that we have disrupted the hospital’s functioning, assurances are being made. A new batch will also arrive shortly,” the student said.

Confirming the disruption of OPD services, officiating hospital superintendent Dr Pravin Agrawal said the protesting medicos were not relenting and had physically obstructed hospital operations, paralysing OPD services across departments.

The students later agreed to allow emergency services to continue, following which those services were restored.

Conceding that students of three batches had not been allotted hostel accommodation, principal Dr Lata Shukla Dwivedi said two hostels had been declared condemned due to their dilapidated condition, while another hostel remained under illegal occupation by unidentified intruders.

“Construction of a new hostel is a time-consuming process. For the time being, we have offered to repair the condemned hostels, but the students are unrelenting,” Dr Dwivedi said.

The principal said she would seek the district administration’s assistance in evicting the illegal occupants. She added that students from batches prior to 2023 had also complained about unhygienic conditions in the hostel mess, alleging that stray dogs and cattle frequently entered the premises.

“That complaint is also being addressed,” she said.

The medicos are also demanding a proper approach road and adequate lighting in the students’ residential area of the campus, the principal said, adding that the administration had agreed to meet those demands.

Mohd Moosa, a former member of the ANMMCH advisory committee, said the situation was a self-created problem and reflected poorly on the quality of the college and hospital administration.