Don’t take action against MBBS students refusing Covid duty for now, says Gujarat HC

The matter is expected to be heard further on August 7.

The Gujarat High Court on August 5 orally directed the state government not to prosecute or initiate any coercive action against any MBBS student who opposes the government move to call in students for Covid-19 duty, till the matter is heard further by the court. The matter is expected to be heard further on August 7.

The court was hearing a petition moved by 146 third-year MBBS students of NHL Municipal Medical College and AMC-MET Medical Colleges, opposing the government move of mandatorily calling the students for Covid-19 duty.

According to Anand Yagnik, who is representing the 146 student-petitioners, the government pleader gave an assurance and made a statement that no action would be taken against the students.

In July, notices were issued by deans of the two medical colleges to students who did not attend the Covid assistant training, which was challenged before the court along with the government resolution that seeks to deploy final and third year MBBS students to assist in designated Covid hospitals across the state.