Medical students in Karnataka have demanded that the examinations scheduled in January 2021 be postponed. Students say that online classes conducted this year were not effective as they did not have any clinical practice.
Although medical and dental colleges in the State are set to reopen from December 1, they pointed out that practicals for just a month and a half before the examinations would not be adequate or make up for the lost time. The All-India Democratic Students Organisation Medical Students’ Struggle Committee conducted a survey among 9,500 MBBS students in Karnataka where an overwhelming majority of respondents - 97.6% of those surveyed - said they were not ready to appear for the examination in January.
Students on Tuesday took to various online platforms to protest. In some districts, they held physical protests and submitted memoranda to the deans or principals of their respective medical colleges. Ajay Kamath, State Secretary of AIDSO, in a press note has said that students want all stakeholders to be consulted before the university announces the examination timetable. Considering the extraordinary situation and challenges posed due to the pandemic, the examination should be postponed, the press release stated and added that the postponement policy should be devised as per the requirements of students in each year addressing specific issues.
Officials at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, which conducts the examination, were unavailable for comment.
