A group of final-year MBBS students have approached the Kerala High Court demanding to postpone their final examinations. In their petition, the students noted that they were unable to attend sufficient number of clinical sessions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The syllabus of the Kerala University of Health Sciences insists on 792 hours of clinical classes for final-year students. However, according to the timetable of various medical colleges under the university, students received only 580 classes due to the lockdown, according to the petition.
The petitioners alleged that this will affect their clinical skills and practical experience. Moreover, the students will get hardly one month for preparation for the examinations as the university plans to conduct them by March-end.
In its reply, the university noted that final-year examinations have to be conducted in March in accordance with the National Medical Commission schedule. It also noted that medical colleges in Kerala commenced online classes from April 2021. After physical classes commenced in August 2021, clinical and practical training were given priority, and hence the loss occurred during the previous months were compensated for.
However, students argue that no such direction to start online classes in April was given by the university to the colleges.
