Pune medical college faces flak for setting library deadline for women students

Pune’s renowned BJ Medical College has barred its women students to spend time in the library post-midnight. This order is being looked upon as a discrimination by the female students.

Pune’s renowned BJ Medical College has barred its women students to spend time in the library post-midnight. Female students found the order discriminatory.

The recent order by BJ Medical College dean Ajay Chandanwale has made women students upset as the new diktat says that they can’t stay in the library after midnight (HT File Photo)

The recent order by BJ Medical College dean Ajay Chandanwale has made women students upset as the new diktat says that they can’t stay in the library after midnight. The college authorities are executing the order when when the All India Post Graduation Entrance Exams are just a month away.

There is no such “Cinderella” rule for male students.

Many students, doing a one-year internship, feel that the library is the only source from where they can prepare for the exam but the new order that sets midnight as the deadline has denied them the opportunity to prepare for the exam.

While defending his order, dean Chandanwale said that the decision has been taken keeping in view the safety of women.

“The decision was taken after it was found that women students were coming to study at the library even after 1:30am, which is not safe.” The administration has also decided to fix 9:30 pm as the maximum that they can stay in the library.

The women students, however, argued that if the administration was so concerned about their safety, why were they given emergency duties during night hours at the Sassoon hospital, which is attached with the college.