“Ragging is not a tradition; it is a crime. Drugs are not a solution, but a trap,” said Mohamed Jiyaputheen, former District and Sessions Judge and Member of the State Official Language Legislative Commission, while addressing a gathering of young medical students at Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Medical College and Hospitals, Salem.
Addressing senior students, he reminded them that they were once in the same position as the new entrants and stressed that the true mark of a senior lies in mentoring, not tormenting.
He encouraged junior students to assert their right to a safe and supportive environment and to speak up against any form of ragging. He further pointed out that every college and university has an Anti-Ragging Committee that functions round the clock.
He also highlighted the zero-tolerance policy towards ragging enforced by the Supreme Court of India, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the National Medical Commission.
Speaking on drug abuse, which he described as a “silent killer” threatening the present generation, he said that although drugs may appear exciting or seem like a way to manage stress or satisfy curiosity, they are a trap that destroys mental peace and physical health. He emphasised the importance of saying “no” to anything that could harm one’s life and future and urged students to walk away from unsafe environments.
He described doctors as “angels with stethoscopes” whom the world desperately needs and reminded students not to lose sight of shared human fragility and the well-being of patients.
He also encouraged students to adopt healthy stress-management activities such as sports, art, and music, adding that determination can turn setbacks into achievements.
The event was presided over by Dr. Ezhil Vendhan, Dean, and attended by Dr. Rangabashyam, Medical Superintendent; Dr. Karthikeyan, Director; and other faculty members.
