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The Bihar government has set up a committee to probe a suicide attempt by two girl students of the B R Ambedkar Dental College at Danapur near Patna.
Jaspreet Kaur and Shweta Mehndi Dutt, who belonged to Punjab and Haryana respectively, consumed sleeping pills on Tuesday night after they were reportedly asked to pay hefty sums for sitting in an exam that wasn't even conducted in the end. They were admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital.
"Life appeared to have ended for us when we, along with other students, were shown to have failed by the college authorities despite having passed the dental examination," Kaur, who was recovering fast, said.
She said the students who were shown to have failed were asked to pay Rs25,000 for appearing at the supplementary examination. But even after the payment was made the college management did not conduct practical examinations.
She further alleged that the college management had harassed the students, as a result of which their movement outside their hostel at Gola Road was restricted.
The government came in for severe criticism from the Opposition for failing to take action against the management of the dental college.
However, Medical Education Minister Dr Shakeel Ahmad said in the assembly that the state had no control over the college, as it was not recognised by the government.
Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Bhola Prasad Singh took strong exception to the minister's reply and insisted that any institution running in Bihar had to follow the rules and regulations of the state.
However, the minister stuck to his stand, insisting that the college was an autonomous institution under the provisions of the Constitution, and that the state had no say in its functioning.
Assembly Speaker Sadanand Singh expressed concern over the development, while Leader of the Opposition Sushil Kumar Modi charged that the secretary of the college, T R Rai, had strong links with members of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal and was allowed to function like a dictator.
Modi recalled that 10 days ago there were reports of the students not being allowed to leave the institute's premises.
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