In a recent Supreme Court session, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud addressed a pronunciation error regarding the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Chief Justice had been incorrectly pronouncing “Kar” as “Kaar,” a mistake pointed out by Justice Hrishikesh Roy.
While the Supreme Court was reviewing petitions related to the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the Kolkata hospital, an advocate representing junior doctors highlighted the issue. The Chief Justice DY Chandrachud acknowledged the error, stating, “By the way, Justice Hrishikesh Roy pointed out to me that you kept on saying ‘Kaar,’ ‘Kaar,’ it’s ‘Kar.’ I apologise.”
The RG Kar Medical College, established in 1886 as the Calcutta School of Medicine by Indian physician Radha Gobinda Kar, initially lacked an associated hospital or campus. The college moved to its own building in 1902, was renamed Belgachia Medical College in 1916, and then Carmichael Medical College in 1918, honoring Bengal’s Governor Thomas Gibson-Carmichael. Post-Independence, the college was renamed in honor of its founder. The West Bengal government later took over the management of the hospital.
The college has recently been in the spotlight following the discovery of a postgraduate trainee doctor’s body in a seminar hall on August 9, confirmed to have been sexually assaulted. The incident has ignited nationwide protests by doctors demanding safer working conditions, which have disrupted healthcare services across the country.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the Supreme Court has established a National Task Force to propose measures to enhance working conditions for healthcare professionals. During the hearing, an advocate revealed that doctors often endure shifts of up to 36 hours. Chief Justice Chandrachud empathized, sharing his personal experience: “Please assure the doctors that we know they are working for 36 hours. I have personally slept on the floor of a public hospital when one of my family members was unwell.”
The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights the urgent need for reforms in the healthcare sector to ensure the safety and well-being of medical professionals and address the concerns raised by the recent tragic events.
