Fallout of delay in admissions: Medical colleges prep to accommodate two FY MBBS batches
Mumbai: Even as MBBS aspirants are waiting for the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2022, medical colleges in the city and state are prepping their classrooms and labs to accommodate two batches of first year undergraduate students
Mumbai: Even as MBBS aspirants are waiting for the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2022, medical colleges in the city and state are prepping their classrooms and labs to accommodate two batches of first year undergraduate students.
While the 2021-22 batch of first year students are scheduled to graduate to the next academic year by January next year, a new first year batch for the 2022-23 academic year is expected to join college by October this year.
“Our laboratories can only accommodate a few students at a time, so all our practical lectures have to be slotted in advance so no two batches clash. With this extra batch, we will have to start conducting practical classes in two shifts so that no students miss out on practical classes,” said a spokesperson for a Pune-based private medical college. He added that other than classrooms, colleges are also finding ways to accommodate all students in the existing hostel space.
Last year, NEET-UG-2021 exams were conducted in September and the results were announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on November 1. A four month stay on admissions was vacated by the Supreme Court in the first week of January 2022, giving a go-ahead to state government admission authorities to start the process. The first seat allotment list for the 2021-22 academic year for MBBS and BDS will be released on January 31.
In February, the academic calendar for the first-year batch of undergraduate medical students (2021-22) was announced by the National Medical Commission (NMC), keeping in mind the delay in conducting admissions. As per the schedule, the academic session for MBBS course began from February 14 this year and will conclude in June 2027 (including the one-year internship). The first year of MBBS will take place from February 2022 to January 2023.
“Our staff has already put together a timetable to accommodate both the batches, since this overlap will only be for two or three months. Usually, our anatomy practical sessions are held on alternate days, but once the new first year batch joins college, we will ensure that the practical classes are held every day, and in two batches to accommodate all,” said Dr Varsha Phadke, dean, KJ Somaiya Medical College, Vidyavihar. She added that for subjects like physiology and biology as well, the teachers will be conducting two batches every day as it is impossible to fit all students in a single classroom.
This year, NEET-UG was conducted on July 17 and results for the test are still awaited. Admissions will be conducted based on the NEET-UG results and colleges hope to start the new academic year without any delay this time round. “Every year, delays due to various reasons affect admissions, and eventually eat into the academic time allotted to every batch. Hopefully this year it will be conducted without any delay and students won’t have to suffer,” said Sudha Shenoy, parent of a medical student and activist.
