“We will continue the strike until the Dean and Principal of SIMS, Dr Saurabh Goel, is terminated from all the posts,” shared a student of Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS), Hapur, Uttar Pradesh on condition of anonymity. The students have been on strike since May 24 alleging mental harassment, imposition of unnecessary fines, violation of privacy and irregularities in stipend.
The latest EdexLive gathered from the students is that they met an official from the management today, May 27, 2024. The meeting was held to address the matter and included the participation of approximately 50 students from batches 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 along with the interns of the 2019 batch.
Disclosing what was discussed in today’s meeting, the student claimed, “The official asked us for some more time and said the principal has resigned. However, as our priority is the termination of the principal from all posts, our strike will continue till the demand is fulfilled," the student said, adding that the principal’s resignation was not official yet.
The students also met the institute’s director R Dutt in the late evening of May 25. “The director said the institute’s chairman has decided to remove the principal,” said the student, implying that this was an oral assurance, not a written assurance. In a video shared with EdexLive, the director can be heard saying, “...the principal will be removed.”
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Threats, fines & troubles
The letter to SIMS Management dated May 24, which EdexLive has access, read, “Principal sir Dr Saurabh Goel has mentally harassed many students until now by threatening them to fail in the exam, unnecessary fines are being imposed on students want his resignation.” The student claims that, “over 15 out of 150 students were failed in internal exams by the principal intentionally for not attending his classes”.
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Also, the letter highlighted the issue of violating privacy by installing CCTV cameras near girls' and boys' hostels. “...the feed of girls hostel camera is accessible to everyone, hence removal cameras from every hostel. we demand removal of cameras from every hostel,” the letter read.
Further, students allege the imposition of unnecessary fines. According to the notices shared with EdexLive, here are a few instances of students being fined:
Rs 100 per day for not attending General Medicine posting
Rs 100 for misbehaving in class and making noise
Rs 200 for not attending Clinical posting
Rs 500 per day for not reporting back to hostel after leave duration
Rs 500 for proxy attendance
“...a student was fined Rs 1,000 just for wearing earphones while walking on campus, many more students have been fined unnecessarily,” the letter added.
Citing this and a few other problems, the students started the strike as their attempts to address these issues with the support of the principal were in vain.
Management, on the other side, addressed an email to the students' parents, saying the protest is creating a hostile environment for patients and families staying inside the hospital. “Students have been harassing and defaming the institution, management, and principal office on social media and to the general media. It is in the best interest of both your child and the institute if they cease participating in the strike. Otherwise, the college will have to take strict legal action,” the email from the Dean of Academics read.
Additionally, according to a order, the dean and the principal Dr Saurabh Goel has announced summer vacation from May 25, the immediate day after the strike began. The order dated May 24 read, "Summer vacation are propound from 25/05/2024, for all batches including Batch 2023. Date of joining back will be intimated 1 week in advance."
The student alleges that the vacation was initially scheduled in June but was preponed to object the strike.
EdexLive tried to contact the officials of the institute. The copy will be updated accordingly.
