-Reshma Ravishanker 

Karnataka’s minister for medical education, Dr K Sudhakar has written to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RGUHS) seeking postponement of final exams for final year MBBS students keeping their interests in mind.  

The minister has recommended that these exams be postponed after taking into account representations made by several students and student organisations in this regard.

“Considering the plight of MBBS students, I have written to the vice-chancellor of RGUHS to consider postponement of final year MBBS exams scheduled from February 22 and reschedule the examination providing sufficient time for preparation,” Dr Sudhakar said.

In the letter, he elaborates that insufficient time for preparation and completion of the syllabus this academic year and the approaching exams have created anxiety among the students and teaching fraternity.

Classes for MBBS students commenced in-person only in July 2021, prior to which only online classes were held. These students have not been given clinical posting either in the wake of the pandemic.

It may be recalled that the Karnataka government had sought the services of these students to act as first responders and have the telemedicine system functional during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. “This batch of students had been roped into telemedicine services for several weeks. After that, the third wave of the pandemic also caused a disruption in their usual schedule. This leaves them with very little time to prepare for exams, leaving many anxious. It is recommended that the varsity postpones exams in the wake of these developments,” he said.

Nationwide, MBBS, dental and paramedical students have been seeking postponement of exams in the wake of the pandemic. Several of them were impacted during the second wave of Covid-19 either working in outpatient departments at their medical colleges or have found insufficient time to prepare as a result of being roped in to provide services by state governments. 

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