The hunger strike at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital over hostel allocation entered its 13th day on Sunday. Initially six students started the hunger strike on July 10 and two more joined the strike a couple of days later. Alleging that the college authorities were “aloof to their demands” 15 other students joined the hunger strike on Wednesday. So far three agitating students have been hospitalised and two of them were released.
The agitating students alleged that the main hostel building where the second, third and fourth year MBBS students stay is in a “deplorable condition”.
However, the college authorities argued that as per guidelines issued by the Medical Council of India (MCI) the senior students cannot be accommodated along with first year students in the new hostel building as per their demand.
“Freshers shall be lodged, as far as may be, in a separate hostel block, and where such facility is not available, the institution shall ensure that access of seniors to accommodation allotted to freshers is strictly monitored,” states an MCI regulation.
