MBBS exams MUST, have to be held: MCI BOG releases decision, acknowledges delay

New Delhi: After much deliberation with various medical colleges and health universities of all states, the apex medical regulator, Medical Council of India Board of Governors (MCI BOG) has clearly upheld the need for MBBS exams stating that no batch should be permitted to move to the next level of the MBBS course without at examination.

The MCI, however at the same time, did take note of the delay that maybe there in the conduct of the certain MBBS University exams especially noting that for 2nd and 3rd ( Part 1) MBBS students, the university exams may have to be delayed by two to three months beyond their scheduled dates.

While stressing on the need for MBBS examinations, the MCI further laid down certain guidelines on the timelines on the conduct of examination, stating

• The colleges should aim to complete the first MBBS course ( including practicals/lab demonstrations etc) within two months of re-opening of the colleges ( as and when permitted by the central/state/UT govt) and thereafter the first MBBS University exams should be completed as soon as possible, preferably within a month.
• The pending supplementary examinations for Final Year MBBS students which were scheduled during the first half of 2020 should be conducted as soon as possible, as the students are waiting to appear for the examinations having completed the course once already and need not have to wait for the formal re-opening of the colleges. Such students will be joining the medical colleges/hospitals for doing an internship just after passing final exams 
• Regarding the conduct fo 2nd/3rd ( Part 1) and Final year MBBS examinations for 2020, the time required for completion of the course would depend on the timing of re-opening of the medical colleges. It is anticipated that as for the 1st MBBS students, these students would also need about two months to complete the remaining course curriculum and training. Consequently, the University exams for 2nd and 3rd ( Part 1) MBBS students may have to be delayed by two to three months beyond their scheduled dates.

Besides this, the MCI extended the application of relaxations that it had provided for the conduct of final year PG medical exams in the appointment of external examiners and the exam patterns to the conduct of MBBS university exams as well.

These relaxations include

Appointment of Examiners 

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) The External Examiners to be selected from a different University in the State.These Examiners have to be physically present at the venue of the examinations.

(ii) In case option (i) above is not possible, half  External Examiners to be selected from a different University, who would be physically present at the venue of the examinations and the other half of 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.

Conduct of Practical/Clinical Examination

A) In this regard, it is noted that Regulation 12(3) and regulation 11.2 ( Part II- for batches admitted from 2019-20 onwards ) of GMER, 1997 provides for the conduct of University Examinations

B) It is stated that due to COVID 19 Pandemic, most medical colleges have expressed their difficulty in adhering to the existing regulations to examine the students, especially in clinical subjects. Since the objective of the Practical Examination is to ascertain skills relevant to the subject as outlined in the respective course curricula, alternative methods of skill evaluation which may include OSCE/OSPE, simulations care scenarios etc may be used in lieu of clinical cases wherever the latter is not feasible as provided for in the regulations referred above 

"This advisory is a one-time measure for the current exams to be held in 2020 only in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic," the MCI BOG noted 

For the full notice click on the link below