Battle over, exam begins for Dalit PG med student in Gujarat college

Stating that he had approached the Gujarat High Court with an emergency plea directing the college to issue him a hall ticket, Mariraj said, “I was desperate to appear for the exam as I did not want to waste six more months and wait till the next semester. I received a favourable order from the court just before the examination started on Wednesday.” Though he had been fighting to secure his right to write the final exams, Mariraj said he had been preparing for it. “My first paper for general medicine was very good and I have three more papers. The exams will end on May 9,” he said. 

Expressing relief over the court order, the doctor said but for the efforts of his advocate Ananth Yagnik, he could not have appeared for the examination.

It may be recalled that Dr Mariraj had been complaining of discrimination ever since he joined the Gujarat college two years ago. He had attempted suicide in January this year, claiming harassment from his department. While he recovered at the hospital, discrimination and the lack of care from his colleagues and professors continued, Mariraj alleged. 

The doctor was told that his hall ticket for the semester examination was being withheld due to the late submission of his dissertation. Having found that his name did not feature on the list of candidates eligible to write the exam, he then approached the National Commission for Schedule Castes (NCSC). 

Recalling the alleged discrimination that he experienced, Mariraj said during his studies, his professors and colleagues refrained from allowing him to perform surgeries and had asked him to serve tea. Now having been allowed to appear for his exams, the doctor said his experience would serve as an inspiration for others, who give up when faced with discrimination.