When an MCH turns exam centre for KEAM

Two candidates set to take the entrance exam from their hospital bed in Alappuzha

The Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Alappuzha, is on the frontline of COVID-19 fight by treating and saving a large number of lives.

Apart from being a medical facility, the MCH will turn an examination centre for KEAM 2020, the State entrance examinations for admission to engineering and pharmacy courses, on Thursday.

While almost all the 1,10,250 candidates registered for KEAM will write the test in centres such as schools, colleges and other facilities, at least two candidates are set to take the entrance examinations from the hospital bed, if everything goes as planned.

The candidates, both hailing from Alappuzha were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 recently. While one of the patients is admitted to a COVID-19 first-line treatment centre in Kayamkulam, another is undergoing treatment at the MCH, Alappuzha. A collective effort of their parents, Office of the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), and Health Department is set to fulfil the wish of the students to appear for KEAM 2020.

MCH superintendent R.V. Ramlal told The Hindu that arrangements had been made for the students to write the examination in the COVID-19 ward. "The examination will be conducted as per the COVID-19 guidelines. The candidate admitted to the hospital in Kayamkulam will be brought to the MCH by around 8.30 a.m. in a vehicle. In the examination room, the candidates will be seated ensuring physical distancing. A nurse wearing PPE kit will be deployed to the room. After the examination, answer sheets will be disinfected and put in a cover. It will be further placed in another cover. The cover containing answer sheets will be opened only after 10 days," Dr. Ramlal said.

Authorities said the candidates were only showing mild symptoms of the disease. "The parents of the candidates first approached people's representatives informing the desire of their children to appear for KEAM. The matter was then taken up with the Office of the CEE, who in turn approached the Health Department. It gave its permission on Wednesday evening," said an official entrusted with the conduct of KEAM 2020 in Alappuzha.

The government order said that it was "pleased to grant permission to three students from Alappuzha and Kottayam districts who have been affected with COVID-19 to write KEAM 2020-21 examination in the treating hospitals itself. If there are any other COVID-19 positive students, they may also be allowed to write the examination by taking all the precautions. The CEE should make necessary arrangements for the same in consultation with Institutional Medical Boards for COVID-19 in the respective hospitals."