Burdwan Medical College MBBS Students Demand to Let Them Cheat in Exams! Faculty moves Health Dept

Kolkata: Demands of medical students at Burdwan Medical College (BMC) to be allowed to cheat in an examination has left the authorities dumbfounded. Raising the issue and expressing concern about the matter, a senior faculty member overseeing academic affairs at the medical college recently wrote to a senior Medical Education official at Swasthya Bhawan.

West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS) will conduct the MBBS final-year examinations on March 3 in all the medical colleges across the State.

The matter allegedly involved a junior doctor, whose name surfaced several times during the RG Kar protest and who was accused of promoting threat culture and unfair practices during examinations. TOI has reported that the concerned doctor allegedly called a few faculty members at the medical college asking them to allow some students to carry mobile phones inside the examination hall. When his request was declined, the junior doctor allegedly threatened the faculties with the possibility of being transferred.

Also Read: Threat Culture Row: Calcutta HC stays suspension of 57 RG Kar doctors

Commenting on the matter, a faculty member of the medical college told the Times of India, "Such is the audacity of this junior doctor who was suspended by the health department, that a few months later, he starts threatening faculty members so that some of his disciples are allowed to cheat in the examination."

The matter has now been raised before the State Health Department as a senior faculty member overseeing academic affairs wrote to the Swasthya Bhawan senior officials in this regard. TOI has reported that the faculty informed the Department that he had even tried talking to the students, asking them to study as their examinations were approaching. However, the students reportedly refused and openly demanded to be allowed to cheat in the exam. Referring to this, the senior faculty expressed his concern about how such students would become quality doctors in the future.

Meanwhile, a section of the medical students reportedly gheraoed the college principal until late on Tuesday and demanded to allow seven students, who had been rusticated from the hostel during the RG Kar protest for promoting threat culture on campus, back on the campus. The protesting students included around a dozen final-year MBBS students and also paramedical students. 

As per the TOI report, these students are known to be close to the suspended junior doctor, due to their unauthorised presence in the exam hall at North Bengal Medical College last year a massive controversy started.

Commenting on the matter, a junior doctor at Burdwan Medical College (BMC) told the Daily, "After the RG Kar incident, the health department took strong action against unfair means during examinations. The recent examinations, including those for postgraduates, were conducted very ethically, with strict vigilance by invigilators. But a handful of students are trying hard to bring back unfair means."

Meanwhile, sources in the Health Department said that both BMC and North Bengal Medical College complaints had emerged regarding a few students using unfair means during examinations. However, the Department is taking all the steps to make sure that such an incident does not get repeated.

"At least one among the seven rusticated from the hostel had garnered honours in some subjects in previous examinations. Now, if the examinations are held in a fair manner, I doubt if the students will be able to clear the final examination. That is why they are trying to create trouble on campus. But the current administration is very strict and fair, and we hope it stays this way," a junior doctor at BMC told TOI.

Also Read: HC Stays Suspension Of 7 Medical Students Accused Of Threat Culture