Medical College Democratic Students' Association

Administrative Block of Medical College Calcutta in Kolkata, India. Medical College Democratic Students' Association (MCDSA), is a democratic and progressive students' association standing on the fundamental principles of Democracy, Unity and Progress. It is an organisation based in Medical College, Kolkata (formerly known as Medical College, Bengal), University of Calcutta, presently West Bengal University of Health Sciences, India. MCDSA has an independant presence and participates in the elections of Medical College Students Union (MCSU).

Various off-shoots and tendencies have been formed at various stages of the organization, at times strengthening it and at times weakening it. They include the NDCC, the Margins Collective and the Cultural Forum among others. It had a historic role in leading the Junior Doctors' movement of West Bengal in the 1980s. It has shown solidarity at various times with the All India Students Association, Progressive Democratic Students' Federation, Democratic Students' Front, Independents' Consolidation, etc.

MCDSA has always participated on various issues of social causes and not restricted its concerns to Medical College alone. It has often played a leading role in protest activities against injustice.

It came very near to winning back the students union from the NSUI twice, losing both times to below-the-belt tactics of the Congressites including violence and intimidation. It also has adverserial relations with the Students Federation of India, with whom clashes have erupted as students hostels at several times in the last years. In July 2005, clashes between the two organizations erupted over recruitment drives amongst new students at the Medical College. MCDSA alleged that SFI had locked up newly admitted students in hostel rooms. SFI alleged that MCDSA members had physically tortured one newcomer and that MCDSA had locked up four SFI members and ransacked rooms belonging to SFI members. Later during the day, police intervened. In the Hostel elections that followed, MCDSA trounced the SFI winning all posts. SFI contested all seats but failed to win a single one. MCDSA remains one of the very few independent left-wing student organizations in the CPI(M) ruled West Bengal which have successfully trounced the pro-government SFI both electorally as well as in "direct action".

History

MCDSA originated as an anti-authoritarian democratic students' movement against the vandalism of the Chhatra Parishad (Indira) in 1977. It had its roots in the erstwhile Social Service Association of Calcutta Medical College.

It swept to power in the students union elections in the following year, which it held till 1983. In the initial years, there were strong influence of Marxist-Leninist politics. This character changed considerably through the year as it started espousing a position of open debate within the organization. Various left currents including Marxist, anarchist, post-structuralist, social-democratic ideals have controlled the overall direction of the organization. It is at present a radical left-liberal organization.

It had made some lasting effects with respect to the then milieu of medical colleges. MCDSA had championed the ideal of Dr. Norman Bethune and likes. Instead of being "cases" people as an ACTIVE agent in clinical medicine began to be appreciated in the discourses of medical students. People's Health Movement began to assume some non-nebulous structured language and programs.

Another input says:

Medical College Democratic Students' Association (MCDSA) was formed on March 21, 1977 after the fall of Indira Gandhi's Regime. The democratic students of Medical College felt stiffled during the Internal Emergency declared by the Congress Government. There were no students' union elections, union executives were selected by Chhatra Parishad (CP) the equivalent of NSUI.

To keep themselves organised the democratic students formed a social service organisation (MCSSA). The main organisers were believers in Marxism-Leninism, close to various Naxalite groups, but most of the members were students with no political affiliations who simply wanted a fair union representing their issues.

In its first year 1977, the members of Student's federation of India (SFI) the student-wing of CPI-M were also in MCDSA. But they dissociated when in students' interests, MCDSA started movements against the Left Front regime.

At that time Chhatra Parishad had a very low profile in the college and their members contested elections as independent candidates. CP reappeared in 1980 when Congress came back to power after the fall of the Janata Party regime.

Electoral Position

MCSU presidents from MCDSA:
  • Swarup Sarkar ('77-'78)
  • Swarup Das ('78-'79)
  • Arunalok Chakraborty ('79-'80)
  • Suresh Thakur ('80-'81 and '81-'82)
  • Partha Tripathi ('82-'83)
  • Amitabha Chakraborti ('83-'84)

MCDSA led the Medical College Students' Union (MCSU) from 1977 to 1983.

Though MCDSA never led the union again till date, it is very much existent. It has completed more than 30 years of its existence. Many doctors who were members of MCDSA are still upholding the banner of "Democracy, Unity, Progress". Many are active in various pro-people health programmes.

In the 2005 election to the students union of the Medical College, the MCDSA won 35% of the votes.

In the 2006, students union elections, MCDSA won 9 out of 20 MCSU seats, making its largest tally in 4 years.