Hold exams online or promote us: Second- and third-year MBBS students to govt

A day after officials from the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) said that they will seek the state government’s permission to start offline exams for second -and third-year MBBS students, several aspirants took to social media to raise concerns over the idea

A day after officials from the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) said that they will seek the state government’s permission to start offline exams for second -and third-year MBBS students, several aspirants took to social media to raise concerns over the idea.

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In several posts addressed to the state medical education minister, MUHS, National Medical Commission (NMC) as well as the Union health minister, students have requested authorities to either hold the upcoming exams online or promote them to the next academic year based on their performance in the current year.

“Most of us are part of the Covid-19 workforce and many are currently infected by the virus. Several students also have family members fighting for their life at present. So holding exams in such a scenario will be unfair on us all,” said third-year MBBS student Anup Thorve.

He added that at present, Covid-19 cases are on the rise and the different variants are leaving patients with severe issues, including the black fungus, which has made more students go against the idea of physical exams any time soon.

Usually scheduled to take place in the month of December-January, the second -and third-year MBBS exams were postponed thrice this year due to the rising Covid-19 cases recorded across the state. As per the state government, the exams will now be conducted in the first week of June.

A senior official from MUHS told HT that they as the lockdown restrictions in Maharashtra ends on June 1, the university approached state government seeking permission to start physical exams for MBBS students from June 2.

Students said the move will create more trouble for them.

“Many aspirants already fear the 14-day quarantine period and are hiding their symptoms, which has led to an increase in the cases amongst students. The fear of losing out on exams has added to the anxiety of students, and many are currently unable to prepare,” said Ruchita Jadhav, a second-year MBBS student.

Several students have also highlighted how the lack of doses in the state of Maharashtra has left at least 75% of second -and third-year MBBS students without vaccination, and expecting such students to appear for physical exams will be unfair to them all.

“Many youth have succumbed to this deadly virus in the second wave. Most of us are living on multiple-sharing basis in hostel rooms with common shared bathroom facilities. If any one student is infected, the virus will spread among others in no time. We, therefore, suggest that exams be either held online or that the authorities promote us to the next academic year,” said Piyush Dusane, another MBBS student.

While clarity on the exams is yet to come from MUHS, in a circular released in the last week of April, it has asked all affiliated colleges to start regular lectures and academic activities for their students from the next academic year.