A young doctor forced to quit an MS Gynaecology PG seat due to alleged harassment and ragging approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court after authorities withheld his original documents and demanded a ₹30 lakh bond penalty. The court intervened and ordered the return of the documents, highlighting serious concerns about harassment, PG bond policies, and mental health in medical education.
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The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently intervened in a distressing case involving a young doctor who was compelled to abandon his postgraduate (PG) seat in MS Gynaecology due to alleged ragging, harassment, nepotism, and favouritism within the department. In a significant development, the court directed the Director of Medical Education (DME) to immediately return the doctor’s withheld original documents and warned of contempt proceedings if the order was not followed. The case highlights continuing concerns in medical education related to student safety, institutional accountability, and the controversial enforcement of PG bond conditions.
The petitioner, Dr. Ajay Mandloi, is a resident of Barwani district, a tribal region in Madhya Pradesh. He completed his MBBS from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College (MGM College), Indore in 2019. After appearing for NEET PG 2020, he secured an All India Rank of 79,171 and was allotted an MS Gynaecology seat at the same government medical college through the Directorate of Medical Education based on merit.
During his postgraduate training, Dr. Mandloi allegedly faced continuous ragging, harassment, and discrimination within the department. Reports indicated that he was the only male resident in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology program, which allegedly intensified the targeting and harassment. Over time, the hostile environment reportedly led to severe mental stress, mental health issues, and even a suicide attempt. Eventually, he was forced to leave the course midway as he could no longer continue in such circumstances.
After leaving the course, the college administration and Directorate of Medical Education withheld his original documents, including his MBBS certificates and other essential academic records. Authorities demanded payment of a ₹30 lakh penalty under the PG bond that he had signed at the time of admission. Because his documents were retained by the institution, he was unable to attend job interviews or pursue other academic opportunities. Dr. Mandloi argued before the court that he had not left the program for better career prospects but was forced to leave due to unbearable harassment.
Dr. Mandloi filed a petition before the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Indore bench, seeking the return of his documents without the bond penalty. The petition was argued by senior advocate Aditya Sanghi. On February 19, 2026, the single bench of Justice Jai Kumar Pillai granted interim relief and directed the MGM College management and the Directorate of Medical Education to return the doctor’s original documents. However, when the authorities failed to comply with the order, contempt proceedings were initiated.
In its observations, the court noted that the original documents were clearly in the possession of the Directorate of Medical Education and that the petitioner should not be subjected to unnecessary hardship over procedural technicalities. The court stated that the candidate should not be harassed merely because authorities were holding his documents. The court also restrained the authorities from enforcing the ₹30 lakh bond penalty until the final disposal of the case and scheduled further hearings in the matter.
The case highlights several systemic issues within Indian medical education. Ragging and harassment continue to remain serious concerns in postgraduate programs despite existing anti ragging regulations and guidelines issued by regulatory bodies such as the UGC and the National Medical Commission. Enforcement of these safeguards often varies between institutions, particularly in high pressure clinical specialties.
Another important issue raised by the case is the enforcement of PG bond conditions in government medical colleges. When students leave courses due to genuine reasons such as harassment, safety concerns, or health problems, the rigid enforcement of heavy financial penalties often leads to legal disputes. Courts in recent years have increasingly examined such penalties in light of fairness and individual circumstances.
The case also draws attention to the urgent need for better mental health support systems for medical students and residents. Toxic training environments, long working hours, and hierarchical departmental structures can create intense psychological pressure. Incidents like this demonstrate the severe consequences that such environments can have on young doctors.
The High Court’s intervention provided immediate relief to Dr. Mandloi by directing the return of his documents and restraining the enforcement of the bond penalty for the time being. The ruling serves as an important reminder that institutions must balance administrative regulations with fairness and student welfare. It also reinforces the principle that students should not be trapped in hostile environments or punished for leaving situations that threaten their mental health and safety.
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