MCI announces certain relaxations in the conduct of DM, Mch practical exams, details

New Delhi: With a recent advisory, the Board of Governors in Supersession of Medical Council of India have announced certain Relaxation in the conduct of Postgraduate Examination for Super-Speciality Course (DM/M.Ch.) in the light of recent COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, similar relaxations were earlier announced for PG Medical as well as MBBS examinations as well.

The relaxations come after the MCI received communications from University/State Government in which it has been suggested that the BoG, MCI may consider modifying the conduct of practical examinations in clinical subjects (such as case-based scenarios/simulations) during the current COVID-19 Pandemic in view of safety and security concerns for the students.

"In this regard, the universities are advised to follow the advisories for relaxation in the conduct of Postgraduate Examination for broad specialties issued by MCI (vide Letter No.23(1)/2020-Med./104624 dated 15.06.2020) and also for the appointment of examiners (vide letter No.23(1)/2020-Med./101465 dated 22.05.2020) with regard to examinations being conducted for super-specialty courses for 2020," the MCI in its recent decision relating to the NEET SS examinations stated

The relaxation with regards to Examiners state

A) Universities in the first instance must try to adhere to the existing norms regarding External Examiners.

B) The Universities are advised to follow one of the following options with respect to External Examiners for the PG examinations considering the risk stratification of the areas wherein the Medical Colleges /Institutions are located if two external examiners from outside State are not available due to the pandemic.

(i) Two External Examiners to be selected from a different University in the State. Both of these Examiners have to be physically present at the venue of the examinations.

(ii) In case option (i) above is not possible, one of the two External Examiners to be selected from a different University, who would be physically present at the venue of the examinations and the second External Examiner from another different University outside the State who would participate through video-conferencing.

(iii) In case option (ii) is also not possible, both the External Examiners from two different Universities outside the State who would participate through video-conferencing.

(iv) In the case of States having the medical colleges under the same University i.e. State Health University, the Medical Colleges may engage External Examiners from any other College under that State Health University. Both External Examiners should be physically present during the examination.

3. External Examiners may also be taken from any of the following Institutes of National Importance- AIIMS, (New Delhi), AIIMS (Jodhpur). AIIMS (Bhubaneswar), AIIMS (Bhopal), AIIMS (Raipur), AIIMS (Rishikesh), AIIMS (Patna), PGIMER (Chandigarh), NIMHANS(Bengaluru), JIPMER(Puducherry) and Shree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology(Thiruvanathapuram).