Uttar Pradesh: MBBS students seek permission from President Kovind for euthanasia

Tensions mounted in Uttar Pradesh as 12 MBBS students wrote a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking permission for euthanasia, reported Hindustan Times. According to the report, students of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur claimed that the city-based Glocal Medical College admitted 66 students for its MBBS course in 2016 but in just three months the Medical Council of India (MCI) de-recognised the institute. Responding to the allegations, the authorities said that it was, in fact, on the appeal of these students that the MCI cancelled the No Objection Certificate (NOC) granted to the college. 

12 MBBS students of Glocal University in Saharanpur have accused the university's owner and former MLC Haji Iqbal of ruining their future. On Tuesday, the students, who reached the District Magistrate's office, submitted a memorandum addressed to the President to the City Magistrate and demanded euthanasia.

The students allege that in the last four years, 30 to 40 lakh rupees were taken from them in the name of studies even after the MCI had abolished the medical recognition of the university. Accordingly, the MCI had issued a letter asking all the students to be transferred to other medical colleges, but the university secretly collected fees from the students.

The students who reached the District Magistrate's office said they are all from middle-class families and are NET qualified. The university extorted lakhs of rupees in the name of studies, and when the reality came to the fore, Haji Iqbal's son had even assaulted him, the video of which also went viral.

City Magistrate Vivek Chaturvedi, in an exclusive conversation with Republic Media Network, said that the students told him that nothing was visible except death. That's why they are asking for death. And they have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind.

Students vs University officials

As per other reports, the students were not made aware of the development and continued the course for five years while the University Vice-Chancellor said that the college wanted the students to complete their degree. As per the letter details recorded by the HT, the students exercised all possible options, including moving to the Allahabad high court however after receiving no solutions, the students are left with no choice and seek to end their lives.

Of the 66 students, as many as 12 including Shivam Verma, Shivani Rana, Vibhor, Rizwan, Sadaf, Samia, Vignesh, Rahul Raj, Aishwarya, Arvind Raj have written to President Kovind, stated the report. 

However, as per the HT report quoting the University official, the students had written a petition to the High Court, and then to the Supreme Court. On both occasions, the plea was dismissed. Despite this, the University continued to stand with the students. 

As per the media reports, the MCI had debarred the Glocal Medical College owing to its poor infrastructure. In September 2020, the UP government had also sought directives from the Union Health Ministry for the transfer of MBBS students from this medical varsity to other colleges.

Protests by students in UP

Last week, the Yogi Adityanath-govt had come under the lens of opposition after Prayagraj Police cracked down on a group of students for allegedly trying to stop a train while protesting against the railway recruitment process. The train continued service however the officers carried out a search operation against those who tried to disrupt railway services to draw attention to issues related to recruitment under Group D for the railways. The incident took place in the Chota Baghada area of Prayagraj.

Image: PTI