A scandal has erupted at Burdwan Medical College (BMC), after a senior staff member in charge of academic affairs raised concerns about an attempt to undermine exam integrity.

In a call to a senior medical education official at Swasthya Bhawan, the faculty member disclosed that a group of students had requested the privilege to cheat in their approaching final-year MBBS exams.

According to a report by the Times of India, a junior doctor who was previously involved in the RG Kar protest allegedly urged BMC staff members to allow some students to carry cell phones into the examination hall. When the professors refused to comply, he reportedly utilised intimidation tactics, threatening them with transfers.

The MBBS final-year examinations, conducted by the West Bengal University of Health Sciences, are scheduled for March 3 at all medical colleges in the state. This alleged attempt to reinstate unfair practices in the exam has sent shockwaves through the academic community.

Despite attempts to counsel and encourage the students to focus on their studies, the faculty member revealed that the students flatly rejected these efforts. They allegedly stated that their demand to cheat was non-negotiable.

Meanwhile, a group of students mounted an aggressive protest at the campus, laying siege to the principal's office late into the night on Tuesday, February 4.

They requested the reinstatement of seven students who had been ejected from the hostel after the RG Kar protests. According to reports, the major agitators were final-year MBBS students, who were joined by paramedical students to intensify the unrest.