NEW DELHI: A 22-year-old medical student has accused her professor of sexual harassment during a viva examination at a government hospital in New Delhi.
The student, part of the 2021 MBBS batch, reported that the incident took place during a practical exam in the pharmacology department.
"On January 31, our practical exam was going on in a pharmacology department. At around 1.15 pm, I had to appear before an assistant professor of Pharmacology for a practical viva. The professor had kept the chair close to himself even though students usually sit across the table from the teachers."
She alleged that the professor asked her inappropriate questions, made her uncomfortable, and touched her inappropriately. The student said that the professor even made gestures and comments that were highly inappropriate.
"When I stopped answering he sent me out and asked me to come again. Then he started asking me about injections and inappropriately touched me. He touched my neck and tried to touch my private parts on the pretext of asking questions," she alleged.
"When I stood up to leave, he asked me about breast abscess (medical condition)and made inappropriate gestures," it stated.
Furthermore, she claimed that the professor had asked her to meet him alone for academic guidance and promised to manipulate her exam marks in exchange for cooperation.
The student revealed that she was not the only victim and that other students had faced similar situations but remained silent due to fear of failing. Despite lodging a complaint with the authorities, no action was taken against the accused professor.
The head of the department allegedly supported the professor and discredited the student's claims. The police have filed an FIR against the professor under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for assaulting a woman with intent to outrage her modesty and for insulting the modesty of a woman.
The victim's statement highlighted a disturbing trend of abuse of power and harassment within educational institutions.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
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