NMC to medical colleges: Complete PG broad, SS exams at the earliest

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has asked all medical colleges to hold examinations for final-year postgraduate broad specialty and super specialty students at the earliest convenient time “depending on local COVID situation”.

In an advisory sent to all medical colleges recently, NMC said that the decision has been taken in view of the declining COVID cases across the country.

The advisory from MK Ramesh, president, Postgraduate Medical Education Board says: “The universities, may as per their discretion, adopt internal valuation of theory answer scripts by the institutions themselves.” Plus, “earlier advisories regarding relaxation in the examination norms shall be in force for these examinations also”, says the letter.

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COVID-19, NEET-PG 2021

The advisory points out that the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously disrupted the academic schedule and processes for postgraduate students of medicine. It points out that the current batch of PG students have had to “endure the major brunt” of the fight against the spread of the coronavirus and that the postponement of the entrance exam for postgraduate courses has “delayed the arrival of fresh batch of postgraduate students”.

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The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for postgraduate studies, or NEET PG 2021, was postponed multiple times. The last time, it was on the decision of the prime minister, Narendra Modi. Following a meeting held on May 3 to discuss how to increase the workforce of healthcare workers to deal with the brutal COVID-19 second wave, PM Modi announced that NEET PG would be postponed by four months to allow final-year MBBS students to be fully engaged in COVID work. Alongside, the NMC allowed COVID-duty to be counted as part of the year-long compulsory internship MBBS students undergo.

Given the many alterations to the schedule, many universities were unable to hold the examinations for the final year postgraduate students. In some cases, even MBBS students were placed on COVID-duty before writing the final exams.

The recent advisory is to address the “matter concerning the examination and students to tide over the crisis”, the notification further reads.

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