'Are you Brahmin? What cream do you apply?': Improper viva question in Bengal hospital sparks outrage (WATCH)

A West Bengal government-run medical college and hospital has come under intense scrutiny following the surfacing of a video that allegedly reveals improper and personal questions asked during a viva examination. The incident has sparked outrage among students and triggered a wave of protests on the campus.

The video, shared by Sourish Mukherjee, media-in-charge of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), shows students from Sagar Dutt Medical College and Hospital protesting vehemently against the conduct of viva examinations.

In the video, a female medical student recounts being asked inappropriate questions about her personal life, including her caste and beauty regimen, during what was supposed to be a professional academic assessment.

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The student disclosed that while her male peers faced relatively brief and straightforward viva sessions, she was subjected to invasive personal questions. "I was asked about my family members, and that was fine. But then, the examiner asked, 'Are you a Brahmin? What cream do you apply on your face?' and 'What do you put on your lips?'" the student recounted in the video.

The outrage among students was palpable as they gathered on campus to protest against what they termed discriminatory and sexist behavior during academic evaluations. In the video, students can be seen confronting the college administration, demanding accountability for the inappropriate line of questioning.

While the veracity of the video has not been independently verified, the footage has drawn widespread attention, raising questions about the integrity of the viva process and the conduct of examiners.

The controversy over the viva questions comes on the heels of a series of protests and unrest at Sagar Dutt Medical College. Earlier this week, the institution faced vandalism, with the college principal blaming "some students and outsiders" for the ruckus. The unrest reportedly stemmed from issues related to hostel availability and allotment.

According to reports, tensions escalated when the college council convened a meeting to address the students' grievances, but the talks were disrupted by protests. The incident occurred against the backdrop of a larger movement that has engulfed the medical community in West Bengal, particularly in the wake of the R G Kar Medical College rape and murder case. Students and citizens recently took to the streets to mark one month since the tragic death of a trainee doctor at the government-run institution.

The VHP's media-in-charge, who posted the video online, blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and claimed that the "TMC ecosystem" was attempting to "oppress top Hindu merits of West Bengal." He called on "nationalists" to respond "legally, socially, and intellectually" to what he described as a dangerous trend, warning that failing to act would have dire consequences.

The incident has drawn widespread condemnation on social media, with users expressing shock and disbelief over the inappropriate questions asked during the viva. One user suggested that the female student should have taken legal action against the examiner, stating, "That GC girl should have just slapped the prof and then raised a sexual harassment case against him. Other GC girls should support her claim. Only way is GC students to unite."

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Another user commented on the degradation of Bengal's once-proud academic culture, saying, "Shameful, great culture of Bengal is gone, unless we people wake up and fight this nonsense." A third user echoed similar sentiments, questioning the relevance of such personal questions in a medical viva: "What does a medical viva got to do with these questions?"

The outrage has also drawn attention from across the country, with people criticizing the administration and calling for a thorough investigation into the incident. "West Bengal is a zombie land? How did they allow things to come this far?" wrote another user, highlighting the general public's disbelief at the unfolding events.

Here's a look at some of the other reactions on X in the wake of the viral video: