Maharashtra MBBS exams to be held offline between June 10 and 30

Putting an end to the ambiguity regarding the pending second- and third-year undergraduate as well as first-year postgraduate medical and dental exams, state minister of medical education Amit Deshmukh on Wednesday announced that exams will be conducted between June 10 and 30 in physical mode

Putting an end to the ambiguity regarding the pending second- and third-year undergraduate as well as first-year postgraduate medical and dental exams, state minister of medical education Amit Deshmukh on Wednesday announced that exams will be conducted between June 10 and 30 in physical mode. This decision affects at least 6,000 undergraduate and a few hundred postgraduate medical students in the state.

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A circular to this effect was released by the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) on Wednesday evening, and a detailed schedule will be released soon, said officials.

“This decision was taken after a series of discussion with several stakeholders. In a meeting with the MUHS controller of examination on Wednesday, we finalised the exam period,” Deshmukh said via a post on a social media network. This decision will be applicable for all pending undergraduate, postgraduate and certificate courses under MUHS, he added.

Second- and third-year MBBS exams, which usually take place in December-January, were postponed three times this year due to the rising Covid-19 cases recorded across the state. At first the exams were postponed to February from January, and then to April. However due to the second wave of Covid-19 gripping the nation, these exams were once again postponed to first week of June by the state government.

Earlier this week, MUHS had approached the state seeking permission to start all pending exams from June 2. Since the current lockdown restrictions are in effect across Maharashtra till June 1, MUHS had requested that state allow MBBS and postgraduate medical and dental exams to be conducted with proper social distancing and safety regulations in place.

Students and parents have raised concerns about the state’s decision to conduct physical exams. “Most of us are part of the Covid-19 work force and many of us 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 to us all,” said Anup Thorve, a third-year MBBS student. He added that at present, Covid-19 cases are still on the rise and the different variants of the virus are leaving patients with severe issues, including black fungus, which has left more students against the idea of physical exams any time soon.

Many students also highlighted how lack of vaccine in the state has left at least 75% of the second- and third-year MBBS students without vaccination, and expecting such students to appear for physical exams will be unfair. “Most of us are living on multiple sharing basis in hostel rooms with common shared bathroom facilities. If any one student is infected, the same will spread among others in no time. We, therefore, suggest either online exams or that the authorities promote us to the next academic year,” said Piyush Dusane, another MBBS student.

Officials have assured anxious students and parents that exams will be conducted keeping in mind all safety precautions. “All affiliated colleges are ready and students, too, have been aware that exams would begin in the first week of June. All MBBS and postgraduate students will have enough time to prepare for their exams now, and they can do so knowing that their health and safety is of utmost importance to us,” said a senior official from MUHS.