By Ronita Torcato

 

First Year MBBS Students of the academic year 2019-20 will get the opportunity of a fifth attempt to clear their exams thanks to the National Medical Commission ( which replaced the Medical Council of India in Sept 2020).

 

This bonus was given after a delegation from Maharashtra of  parents and students of first year MBBS in 2019-20 requested the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar to intervene on their behalf. 

 

Taking into regard the students travails during  COVID-19  pandemic in 2019-20, Dr. Pawar discussed the matter with senior officers from the NMC who  followed up  the request  

 

 Regulation 7.7 of NMC’s 2019 rules mandates students to clear their first professional MBBS exams in the first four attempts, failing which students will have to quit the course.

 

But the pandemic forced medical colleges to close down in the academic year 2019-20, adversely affecting the students.

 

In December last year, thousands of students had converged at Jantar Mantar in a protest organised by the All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA)

 

Students said that physical and mental stress during COVID-19, resulted in  poor performance in the exams. They were also told by colleges that admission and course fees are non refundable. 

 

Following a representation from the delegation, Union Minister of State  Dr. Bharati Pawar apprised NMC of  the students request to be allowed a fifth attempt for the examination since the curriculum of that academic year could not be completed on account of the pandemic. The NMC thereafter agreed to permit a fifth attempt to the first year MBBS students of the year 2019-20 as a one-time measure.

 

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya has also given his approval to the decision, according to a statement from PIB Maharashtra. 

 

It may be recalled that Chief Justice of India  D.Y Chandrachud had expressed disapproval of a plea filed last December by five MBBS students challenging NMC regulations limiting the number of exam attempts. 

CJI Chandrachud had expressed his disappointment when the matter came up before a three member bench comprising Justice PS Narasimha, 

Justice JB Pardiwala and himself. 

“What kind of doctors will we produce?”

CJI  DY Chandrachud had asked.