KUHS final-year MBBS students seek State intervention for exam postponement

Kochi: Referring to the inadequate clinical hours, the final-year MBBS students of Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) have now demanded immediate intervention from the State Government to postpone the ongoing examinations.

This comes after around 80% of the final-year medicos boycotted the first exam and staged a sit-in protest in front of the University. In fact, the students also arranged for a Twitter Storm on April 3 with hashtags such as #JusticeForFinalYearMedicos and #TeachUsBeforeExams.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that a group of final year MBBS students had approached the Kerala High Court seeking a postponement of the exam. However, the court had rejected the application on the ground that the problem was faced by only a few students. Following this, a huge number of around 2,300 final year medicos approached the court and prayed for the similar demands. The students had pointed out that they did not have sufficient attendance and clinical exposure for the semester.

The petitioners had claimed that they were in a similar situation to the students from China who had to rely on online medical classes without any clinical experience. During the pandemic, the out-patient, in-patient, and even many other services were at a standstill. The hospitals, both government and private, were only receiving Covid patients and all elective procedures were canceled.

In fact Politician, writer, and a Public Intellectual MP Shashi Tharoor has also come in support of the students as he wrote to the Kerala Governor in this regard pointing out that the State Government was "unresponsive."

Also Read: Less Attendance, clinical Exposure: 2300 Kerala MBBS medicos reach HC for exam postponement

As per the latest media report by The Hindu, despite the pending legal process, the University continued with its examination and boycotting the same, around 80% students did not appear for the first examination. They also staged a sit-in in front of the University at Mulangunnathukavu, Thrissur, on Saturday, protesting against the University's decision of continuing with the examination.

The decision to conduct the examination as per the schedule was taken on Friday at a meeting convened by the Vice Chancellor of the University Mohanan Kunnummal. The principals of all the affiliated medical colleges along with the Dean of Faculty of Medicine and the chairperson of the Board of Studies (Medicine UG Clinical) were present in it.

However, it has been alleged by the students that the obduracy of the university will lead to producing a batch of doctors without sufficient clinical exposure affecting their professional skills.

While commenting on the matter the students told the daily, "We could attend only 580 hours of clinical classes while the syllabus of the National Medical Commission and the Medical Council of India insists on completing 792 hours."

TOI adds that specifically 2,155 out of 2,915 students did not appear for the first examination and they have now demanded intervention of the State to postpone the examination by at least two more months. They have also referred to the fact that the University itself accepted the fact that the clinical training of the final-year medicos was inadequate and mentioned the same in a letter directed to the National Medical Commission on February 1, 2022 and the university had sought the opinion of NMC regarding postponing the exam.

Referring to the boycotting of exam, a final-year medico told the daily, "As much as 74% of students did not appear for the examination held on Monday and it reveals that most of the students are not ready to face examination as they have a common opinion that the exams are being conducted without providing adequate classes. These students will not appear for the remaining examinations too."

Another student from GMC Ernakulam referred to the fact that the Telangana Government has already decided to defer their exams for two more months and said, "The examinations in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka held as per the time schedule as they managed to provide adequate hours of classes to their students. But, the situation in Kerala is different. Most of the colleges here managed to cover only 60% of syllabus and the university authorities are well aware of it."

Also Read: Final year KUHS MBBS students move High Court seeking postponement of exams