A probe panel comprising the Dean and Director of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI) and officials from the Health department began an inquiry on Friday into the reasons for the failure of nearly 43% students in MBBS final examinations.
V. Govindaraj, Director, IGMCRI, who is part of the committee which met at the Pondicherry Central University, said the panel would be examining the internal assessment marks of the students as part of the probe to ascertain the reason for such a high percentage of failure.
When Pondicherry University declared results on February 3, nearly half the final year MBBS students of IGMCRI found that they had flunked practical examination.
Sources in the college said 123 students appeared for the examination. Out of them, 55 failed overall and 50 in practical examinations.
“Most of the students have failed in medicine practical alone. Even more remarkably, of the 50 students, nearly 32 failed in one practical examination," said a senior official in IGMCRI.
Unusual results
The official added that the students had to score 50% in various practical examinations in order to pass. Two external examiners along with two internal examiners evaluate the students.
Dr. Govindaraj said that 125 of the 138 students had cleared second year MBBS examination and 136 out of 139 had cleared the third year MBBS examination. “Only 15% to 20% failure is recorded every year. This year, it has increased to over 40%,” he said.
He added that the Dean (in-charge) of IGMCRI Nanditha has been given the responsibility to examine the issue and report to the committee.
