State Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh on Thursday asked Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) to defer examinations of its medical courses in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nashik-based State university has announced holding examinations in August.
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This is in continuation with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s stand of avoiding examinations in view of the rising novel coronavirus cases in the State.
Mr. Deshmukh has asked MUHS vice-chancellor Deelip Mhaisekar to postpone the examinations, saying holding them during the pandemic is not in the interest of students. The minister said, “First and second year students will be allowed to study the next year’s curriculum and their final-year examinations and all other non-certifying tests will be deferred till further notice. The internship of final-year students will be started and their examinations will be conducted only after the COVID-19 spread is contained.”
The minister said postgraduate students reside on campuses and hence their exams can be conducted. The entrance examination of their courses is slated for September 15.
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State’s Higher Education department is already involved in a row with the University Grants Commission over holding final-year exams in non-agriculture universities. Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, has also approached the Supreme Court against the decision and has received support from other constituents of the MVA government.
Set up in 1998, MUHS is focused on teaching, training and research in modern medicine and Indian systems of medicine. It offers courses in allopathy, dental, nursing, homoeopathy, unani, and ayurveda streams.