NEW DELHI: Weeks after the alleged suicide of a postgraduate medical student in Surat triggered fresh concerns over harassment and ragging in medical colleges, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has sought a para-wise report within 24 hours from MGM Medical College and MY Hospital, Indore, on allegations of mental harassment, public humiliation and academic intimidation of a first-year postgraduate resident.The complaint concerns Dr Simmi Yadav, a first-year postgraduate resident in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Filed by her brother, it alleges that she attempted suicide by insulin overdose and is currently in the intensive care unit.The case comes amid continuing concerns over the treatment of junior doctors and medical students. In a December 2024 advisory, the NMC said it continued to receive numerous complaints involving undergraduate and postgraduate students, including cases of mental harassment and instances leading to suicide.The complaint alleges that Dr Simmi was repeatedly humiliated over minor mistakes, threatened with adverse academic consequences and made to undertake non-academic work. The NMC has directed the college to examine the allegations against the concerned residents and faculty and furnish their responses.The commission has sought her duty rosters, attendance and biometric records, handover registers and leave records to verify allegations that she was working 14-15 hours despite an official roster showing around 12-hour duties.It has also ordered confidential interactions with other PG residents to ascertain whether similar instances of harassment, intimidation or coercion have been reported. The college has been asked to preserve WhatsApp messages, emails, complaints, duty and academic records and other evidence.
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The NMC has further sought details of the functioning of the college’s Anti-Ragging Committee and Squad, counselling and mental-health support available to PG residents, and compliance with anti-ragging regulations.The regulator’s own National Task Force on the mental health of medical students found that 26.7% of respondents reported harassment by senior postgraduate students in clinical settings, highlighting concerns about the working environment faced by junior doctors.The commission has directed the college to ensure that Dr Simmi does not face retaliation, victimisation or adverse academic treatment for raising the complaint or participating in the inquiry. The Action Taken Report, supported by documents, has to be submitted within 24 hours.