Missing MBBS aspirant brings medical students welfare into focus

BJMC counselling initiative reaches 250 students

3 min readPuneUpdated: Aug 4, 2026 11:23 AM IST

The Maharashtra government had mandated that medical colleges should set up Chhatra Manas Cell to help students cope with academic and personal stress. (File)

Even as the family of a first-year MBBS student made an emotional appeal for 19-year-old Tanmay to return home a fortnight after he was reported missing and alleged he was mentally harassed by a group of classmates, the incident has once again brought the issue of student welfare in medical colleges into focus.

The Maharashtra government had mandated that medical colleges should set up Chhatra Manas Cell to help students cope with academic and personal stress. At B J Government Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, authorities said that more than 250 students have sought help while more than 1,000 counselling sessions have been undertaken in the last one and a half years.

These dedicated cells at government medical colleges are part of a statewide initiative offering a safe space for students to seek support. Dr Eknath Pawar, dean, B J Government Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital said that the cell had two dedicated counsellors and has been active since the last one and a half years. The cell operates at the Department of Psychiatry, B J Government Medical College and according to Dr Nishikant Thorat, Head of the Department, it plays a crucial role.

These dedicated cells at government medical colleges are part of a statewide initiative offering a safe space for students to seek support

While the majority of the concerns are related to academics, there are students who seek support for inter-personal issues, family concerns on finance and other issues. “We have several students from various parts of Maharashtra and stay at the hostel. At times it is a challenge for them to adjust to their surroundings. Our counsellors visit the hostels regularly and also encourage consultations if the issue is a serious one,” Dr Thorat said.

A preliminary analysis suggests that more male students are seeking help. Dr Thorat said that students are encouraged to seek counselling at least thrice a week and in some cases medications have been prescribed for dealing with anxiety related concerns. “We also conduct counselling sessions with parents and have prepared a series of posters telling our students that they are not alone while dealing with issues like being homesick, burnout and academic stress,” Dr Thorat added.

Meanwhile when contacted Tanmay’s father Ajaykumar Vange who had raised allegations of harassment (which have been ruled out by College authorities) has appealed to the police and Sassoon authorities to help find his son. “He would not get involved in any fights and is a quiet boy. We just want our son back,” Vange, who is a teacher at Kolhapur, appealed.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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