Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Wednesday, May 4, announced in the state Assembly that the dean of the Madurai Medical College, Dr A Rathinavel, was reinstated to his post, just days after his ouster. The dean was removed from the post by the Tamil Nadu government on May 1, after first-year students took the ‘Maharshi Charaka Shapath (oath)’ instead of the Hippocratic oath during their white coat ceremony on April 30. The incident had triggered a major row in the state. According to reports, the Health Minister said that the state was reinstating Dr Rahinavel as he had apologised for the incident.
The Charaka Shapath has been criticised for being regressive and casteist, with doctors saying it is "completely out of sync with modern scientific medicine, modern social practices." Students and doctors’ associations came forward in support of the dean, stating that he was not involved in the process of administering the oath as it was organised by the students. They also said that they were merely following a circular issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC). They also pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government had deliberately avoided taking a position on the Charaka Shapath until this incident. Former Chief Minister and Deputy Coordinator of AIADMK, O Panneerselvam, also demanded that the dean be reinstated.
Director of Medical Education (DME) Narayana Babu, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, May 3, after conducting an inquiry into the row at the Madurai Medical College, said that the institute violated two instructions with regard to administering the oath to the freshers. “It violated instructions from the state health department and the Director of Medical Education (DME) to get clarification on any new/fake circular and to follow a routine process of admission issued in February." He also said that a full inquiry would be conducted and appropriate action will be taken against other medical college deans where students have alleged to have taken the Charaka Shapath.
This particular incident took place in the presence of Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, who was among the dignitaries on the dais. PTR later took to the mic and said that he was shocked when he heard the new oath. “I always thought that the doctors took a Hippocratic oath. In fact, I’ve been recommending politicians to take the same oath,” he said.
In a press note, the Tamil Nadu government said that the Hippocratic oath has been followed since time immemorial by all medical colleges. The note said that the replacement of the oath with the Hippocratic oath is condemnable.