Students of Tamil Nadu medical college take 'Charaka' oath, dean relieved of post

Amidst a row over students of the Madurai Medical College, a State Government institution taking the “Maharishi Charak Shapath” instead of the well-known “Hippocratic Oath” during their white coat ceremony, the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department on Sunday relieved the institution’s Dean A. Rathinavel. He was placed on the wait list.

The students had taken the English version of the Sanskrit oath on Saturday in the presence of some State Ministers and others.

The Health Department said it was highly condemnable that the Hippocratic Oath, which was being administered for long to students joining the medical course and doctors stepping into practice, had been replaced by the “Maharishi Charak Shapath”.

The Dean had earlier claimed the students’ representatives had taken the oath by themselves.

Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, however, instructed the Director of Medical Education R. Narayanababu to initiate a departmental enquiry into the incident.

The “Maharishi Charak Shapath” was recommended by the National Medical Commission in its circular dated March 31 this year. The NMC had recommended replacing the Hippocratic Oath with the “Maharishi Charak Shapath” and also provided a loosely translated English version of the same.

The March 31 circular was issued regarding the new Competency Based Medical Education for Undergraduate Course Curriculum and guidelines for its implementation. The NMC said the “modified Maharishi Charak Shapath is recommended when a candidate is introduced to medical education.”

The State Health Department said the DME would issue a circular instructing all heads of departments of medical colleges and hospitals in Tamil Nadu to ensure only the Hippocratic Oath is administered in the future.

Published on: Sunday, May 01, 2022, 11:22 PM IST