Hold Final-Yr Medical Exams, Entrance in December: Thackeray to PM

Conducting final-year exams now would create a serious shortage of trained doctors, Thackeray said.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him intervene and direct the Medical Council of India to postpone the final-year medical postgraduate MD, MS exams, and the entrance exams for super-speciality DM, MCh till December 2020.

In a letter dated 18 June, CM Thackeray said the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India has advised all universities to complete examinations by 30 June.

The Maharashtra CM said holding final-year exams would create a “serious shortage of trained doctors” as resident doctors are presently working on the frontline in government hospitals and are involved in the management of COVID-19 patients.

The CM also added that these examinations are conducted by the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik between May and June, but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 situation in the state.

Final-Year Students Can Opt to Not Take Exams

Earlier, the state’s Higher Education & Technical Education Minister Uday Samant had said that students who have cleared all semesters and want to write tests will be allowed to do so, while keeping in mind the local spread of COVID-19.

Alternatively, students who have cleared all previous semesters and do not wish to appear for final-year examinations, would be passed on the basis of an aggregate of marks scored by then in previous semesters.

The minister had said that the decision was taken to ensure that health of students is not endangered.

Samant had added that a similar decision has been made for students of professional courses like engineering, pharmacy, hotel management, architecture, while adding that professional bodies will be requested to approve the government’s decision.

For ATKT students, a decision will be taken this week after discussion with Vice Chancellors of different universities in the state.