AKU reschedules MBBS exam for 1 centre after unrest

AKU reschedules two cancelled MBBS exams at Patna Science College due to malpractice, with new dates set for May 20 and 22 at a different center.

The Aryabhatt Knowledge University (AKU) has rescheduled two cancelled papers of the 3rd Professional MBBS (Part-2) examination held at Patna Science College (PSC) centre, according to a notification issued by the varsity. This follows allegations of malpractice at the centre.

AKU reschedules MBBS exam for 1 centre after unrest

Now, the Medicine and Surgery papers held on April 30 and May 2, which were cancelled after the unsavoury situation at the PSC centre, will be held on May 20 and May 22 at a different centre, which will be notified. A revised admit card will be issued on May 18, which the candidates can procure from AKU.

This means the examination for the same batch and course will have different schedules. While candidates at other eight centres across the state will finish their exam by May 15, the rescheduled exam at the one centre for students from Bihar’s three big medical colleges will start afresh from May 20.

The notification states that the cancellation of the papers was based on reports from the centre superintendent (PSC) and the observer, without elaborating on the nature of the report or the reasons for the mess.

AKU exam controller Rajiv Ranjan said that the examination board decided to cancel and reschedule the examination for Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) and Pawapuri Medical College, while it will proceed as per schedule for other medical colleges.

He said around 1,400 candidates are taking the examination at nine different centres. “The problem started only at the PSC centre. No problem was reported at other centres like Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology, Bhagalpur Engineering College, Saharsa Engineering College etc. We have also installed jammers at the centres to check for mobile phone use,” he added.

However, the candidates from premiere medical colleges of the state at the reputed PSC centre alleged discrimination. “While candidates from private medical colleges are allowed mobile phones at centres, we are not. There is no level-playing field,” some candidates said after refusing to take the exam on May 2.

In a bizarre situation on Saturday, the centre superintendent, invigilators (including those from outside the college), and candidates arrived at the PSC centre for the exam. This occurred despite PSC principal Alka Yadav ‘making it clear’ on April 28, when there was ruckus during the exam after the observer objected to candidates sitting with chits and mobile phones, that there would be no more exams at the centre.

“Ask the AKU,” was Yadav’s stock reply. The candidates said that she was at the centre with invigilators on May 2 also when the examinees refused to enter the hall. The AKU, on the other hand, blamed the PSC’s ineptness.

With the candidates levelling serious allegations on Day-2, PSC principal vowing not to conduct such exams in future and AKU issuing a notification the same day stating that “due to unavoidable reasons it is not possible to conduct the exam”, the exam was still conducted later on April 30, stretched beyond schedule, but was later cancelled when the uproar intensified.

This is, however, not the first time MBBS exams conducted by AKU have landed in controversy, but what is surprising is that the malaise continues to repeat due to high stakes involved.

“The best way is to hand over the degrees to candidates straightaway without exams, if that is what is meant by such a farce. Opening colleges will not solve the problem. If this is what happens with MBBS exams, one can well understand the situation in other exams. As a doctor, it is shameful to even hear this. We cannot even imagine this kind of situation and the matter calls for a probe at the highest level to fix accountability. The Chancellor should take a serious view of it,” said former head of the orthopaedic department at PMCH, Dr Alok Mishra.