Mass Failure in MBBS exam at 3 Medical Colleges, KUHS orders probe

Thrissur: Taking note of the shocking pass percentages in three medical colleges in the State, the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) has decided to investigate the mass failure in the first year MBBS exam.

Such a shocking passing numbers (less than 50%) have been found in Al-Azhar Medical College, Thodupuzha (32.89%), Mount Zion Medical College, Pathanamthitta (34%), and PK DAS Institute of Medical Sciences, Palakkad (45.955%), reports TOI.

Confirming this information, the Vice-chancellor of KUHS, Dr Mohanan Kunnummal informed the daily that the overall pass percentage in the University has also lowered from 74% in the previous year to 68.11% this year.

However, KUHS controller of exams Dr S Anilkumar informed that last year the overall numbers improved from 74% to 90% after the Save A Year (SAY) results were announced. SAY exam is an opportunity that is given to students who fail in the first annual exam.

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As per the latest media report by the Times of India, this year's overall pass percentage has decreased a lot as the passing number is lower in 50% in three medical colleges in the State. In order to address this unusually low pass percentage, KUHS has decided to probe the matter.

VC Dr. Kunnummal informed the daily that as per the existing rules, the colleges are required to conduct at least three internal examination in MBBS first-year course. It is only after securing 50% marks in those tests, the students become allowed to appear in the first-year examination of KUHS.

Speaking about the probe, the VC of the University told TOI, "The probe will cover aspects like whether the college had enough faculties and the students received the required classes. At least two of them, the Al-Azar College and Mount Zion College, have admitted that they did not have enough faculties."

"The probe team, comprising the dean and the subject experts, will also investigate whether the colleges had conducted internal exams and evaluation properly," he added. 

An expert panel will look into all aspects, especially the poor results in three private medical colleges which got a pass percentage of below 50, reports TNIE. VC Dr Mohanan Kunummal said the panel will look into all aspects, including alleged faculty shortage, whether proper classes were held and issues related to internal examination marks.

Generally, the University does not consider the final outcome of the first year annual exam as the ultimate result as the figures improve after the SAY exam. In fact, KUHS allows students to attend second-year classes immediately after the completion of their first-year exam. It is only when a student fails in the SAY exam as well that he needs to drop out of the second year classes and go back to first year, explained the VC. However, taking note of the fact that the passing numbers in those three colleges were lesser than 50 percent, the University has ordered a probe into the matter.

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As per the TNIE, the reasons behind fewer marks have been cited as virtual classes due to Covid and insufficient staff strength which didn't let students receive personal attention. Along with that, many clinical doctors from the wings of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry (first-year MBBS subjects) were called up for Covid duty.

Stating that government medical colleges face an acute shortage of senior doctors, professors, and associate professors, the official observed, "While medical college hospitals have been set up, no adequate staff pattern was devised. There's always a 25 to 50% staff shortage. We are forced to send first-year and second-year PG students to teach these students."