he campus of Avicenna Medical College, Lahore, appeared calm on Thursday last. There were no reverberations of the angry chants from only a few days ago, following the death of a 4th-year medical student in the college hostel.

The female student had allegedly committed suicide. This had sparked protests by the college students who blamed it on the stressful atmosphere on campus and the heavy fines that were imposed in the name of disciplinary action.

The news spread like wildfire on social media. It brought to light some serious issues faced by students of private medical colleges.

For the uninitiated, private medical colleges are recognised and regulated by the Pakistan Medical College Council and affiliated with the University of Health Sciences. These two institutions are responsible for the welfare and well-being of the students. When the matter reached the PMDC and the UHS, they constituted probe committees seeking explanation from Avicenna Medical College.

Soon after the UHS inquiry committee had submitted its report to the VC, a member of the committee told TNS on condition of anonymity that the committee had found substance in the allegations that the college imposed heavy fines on students on various pretexts. However, he added that the student in question had a history of cardiac issues and that she had been a loner.

The UHS has 150 medical colleges affiliated with it. Of these, 30 are private medical colleges; 15, dental colleges; and 11, allied health medical colleges. Overall, the UHS is an assessment and evaluation body responsible for setting and updating the curricula, administering the admission process and holding examinations. Its policies with regard to the regulation of students’ disciplinary conduct are not clear. “The only clear rule is with respect to attendance,” says Muhammad Atif, the director of students affairs at the UHS. “The students need to maintain [the attendance] at 75 percent. However, some colleges enforce stricter regimes [on students].”

To the UHS, the Avicenna Medical College probe looks like a closed transaction. However, the PMDC has not shut the case yet. In a fresh reminder to the college it has said that their reply dated May 3 regarding the alleged misconduct and mistreatment of students resulting in the death of a student on campus does not contain any concrete information/ relevant documents on the matter. The PMDC letter does not dilate on the contents of the college’s response. “The PMDC has taken serious notice of the matter and desires that the college management be called upon to appear in person before the authority to explain the matter in detail and any actions taken by the college to address the grievances of the students and to avoid any untoward incident in the future.” The college administration has been told to appear before the PMDC on May 11 to proceed further in the matter under the law.

The UHS’s policies with regard to the regulation of students’ disciplinary conduct are not clear. “The only clear policy is with respect to attendance,” says Muhammad Atif, the director of students affairs at the UHS. “The students need to maintain [the attendance] at 75 percent. However, some colleges enforce stricter regimes [on students].”

This scribe spoke to a few current students and a couple of alumni. All of them seemed to agree that the college had a very strict discipline regime. The students were fined Rs 2,000 for every class they miss; Rs 5,000 if the teacher noted that they had bunked the class; Rs 10,000 in case the student failed a class test; Rs 2,000 if a student failed to produce their college card; and Rs 2,000 if anyone was found having an improper haircut or their shirt wasn’t tucked in.

A Rs 50,000 fine was imposed on those who failed a full-book or grand test.

This had frustrated the students, resulting in occasional protests, both in the streets and online. “You cannot say these protests were leaderless. We have our representatives in the [Avicenna Medical] College,” said Hassan Baloch, president of the Private Medical Student Union of Pakistan.

He claimed that the “college administration is dictatorial in its attitude. When the death of the girl student became known, our comrades led the march.”

Baloch said that ever since the college was opened in 2009, its students, regardless of their domicile, were bound to avail its accommodation. Those from Lahore found this odd and a burden on their pockets. In 2021, the locals were exempted from this rule, but for those from other districts, it’s still mandatory to put up at the hostels.

“The hostel is a sort of a prison that no one can escape from,” Baloch says.

There are those who view the regulations as beneficial for the students. “We don’t pay heavy fees and donations to skip our classes, do we?” asks Zubia, a final-year student. “The fines are a deterrent for our own good.”

The chairman of Avicenna Medical College, Sheikh Abdul Waheed, rejects the allegations of mistreatment. He says the protests were orchestrated by a former student. “We had recently expelled two students on account of a breach of discipline. One of them was accused of inviting a girl to his hostel room. He was warned. When he repeated the violation, he was expelled on the recommendation of a disciplinary committee.”

Waheed says the girl student whose death had triggered the protest, had had a good record: “She was a brilliant student. She was never fined. Her medical reports suggest that her blood sugar levels dropped. Besides, she died at her home.”

Waheed also says the college has taken corrective measures over time and no longer imposes heavy fines. The management has also allowed student councils and designated faculty members to address any issues raised by the students.

The chairman denies having received a hearing notice from the PMDC. He says that in their earlier notice, the college management had been asked about the girl’s death.

Ahsan Malik is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship