The Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) has decided to continue with the final year MBBS examinations as scheduled, dismissing the demand of students to postpone them.
The decision was taken at a meeting of statutory officers of the KUHS and Principals of all affiliated medical colleges along with the Dean of Faculty of Medicine and the Chairperson, Board of Studies (Medicine UG Clinical), convened by Vice Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal on Friday.
The urgent meeting was held in the wake of a call by final year students to boycott the examinations alleging that they were being held without providing sufficient clinical training and practical classes due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
Many students of the 2017 batch in various colleges boycotted the exam on Thursday. There were reports that even though 3,600 students had registered for the examinations, about 1,700 boycotted the exam.
“Final year MBBS students must complete 792 hours of clinical classes as per the syllabus of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Medical Council of India. But students could attend only 580 classes due to the pandemic restrictions,” according to the protesting students.
“Lack of clinical exposure will seriously affect our professional skills,” they alleged. They also complained that they didn’t get enough time to prepare for the examinations.
At the meeting, the Vice Chancellor pointed out that there was stark contrast in the attendance of students in ‘III MBBS Part II (R/S)‘ March 2022 examination on Thursday across various colleges. While some of the colleges had around 90% attendance some others reported low attendance.
“The Principals of several colleges acknowledged that this occurred due to rumours and misinformation widely spread through social media by external sources to ensure low attendance for Thursday’s examination. The Principals also reported strong peer pressure faced by several students not to appear for the examination by false promises of postponement of the examination in case of extremely low attendance.”
The Principals said students had been given sufficient training and ample time for preparing for the examinations, a KUHS statement said.
The Controller of Examinations informed that the supplementary examinations have been scheduled to start on September 19 by the Board of Examinations.
The Principals also pointed that no special examination could be conducted before September for the students who failed to appear for the examinations in March as it would disrupt the academic process, the statement added.
“So the ongoing IIl MBBS Part I1 March 2022 (R/S) examinations will be continued as scheduled in consonance with the HC order. The examination scheduled for September is primarily for the 2017 additional batch students and, hence, preponement will adversely affect their clinical training. No special examination can be conducted before the September examination,” it said.
Earlier, students had approached the High Court twice demanding postponement of the examination citing unfinished syllabus.
However, the university told the court that online classes were started in April 2021 and physical classes from August 2021. Clinical and practical classes were given priority. The KUHS also noted that it was acting as per the direction of the NMC and it had directed to complete the examinations by March end.
