Passing of 1st Prof of MBBS necessary to move to 2nd year: NMC tells students in advisory

New Delhi: Passing the 1st Professional exam of MBBS is compulsory before proceeding to 2nd MBBS training, the National Medical Commission has recently clarified in its recent advisory to students. The move comes in response to the directions issued by the Andhra Pradesh High Court that had asked first-year MBBS students of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences, who did not qualify for the second year, to submit their representations to the National Medical Commission (NMC)

The students had earlier filed a petition seeking directions to the NMC and Dr NTR University of Health Sciences to give relaxation to the candidates who were unable to clear the first year exams and also permit them to attend second year classes.

The relaxation was sought because according to the NMC's amended norms, a medical student with backlogs in the first year is not eligible to be promoted to the second year. The single-judge bench, while dismissing the petitions, observed that the plea is not in consonance with the rules and the purpose of the amended rules will get defeated if their petitions are allowed.

The students challenged this decision of the single judge bench and alleged that the single judge did not consider the difficulties the students faced during the pandemic. According to the students, the issue in question needs to be considered sympathetically as their future is involved.

However, the division bench of the court said it is not inclined to stay the single judge order at this stage without hearing out all parties.

At the request of the counsel for the petitioners, the high court agreed to allow the students to submit a fresh representation to the NMC and asked NMC to file an action taken report.

Now taking action on the matter, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued an advisory and informed about the 1st year MBBS examination and promotion to 2nd year MBBS students.

"As prescribed in the erstwhile Medical Council of India Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997, clause 8 passing in 1st professional is compulsory before proceeding to 2nd MBBS training. It is to inform all the students that unless the students pass successfully in the 1st MBBS examination they will not be promoted to 2nd MBBS," the advisory clearly stated.

The advisory also added on about passing of supplementary exam and repeat of MBBS 1st year 

 "If a candidate has failed to pass in the supplementary examination he will have to repeat the 1st MBBS course curriculum and appear for the university examination of 1st MBBS with the new batch," the advisory added 

To view the official NMC notice click, on the following link:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-notice-163136.pdf