On Wednesday, March 20, the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE) forwarded a letter to the vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu's Dr MGR Medical University, urging for allowing the MBBS students who failed to qualify for their second-year university exams to join third-year classes in accordance with the National Medical Commission (NMC) regulations, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
Students' qualms
The representation of students from the association who went to the vice-chancellor said that students who were detained in their second year are now being prohibited from attending their third-year classes in certain medical colleges such as in the Nilgiris, Krishnagiri, Virudhunagar, and Kallakurichi. Further, they requested that they should be granted the opportunity to sit for supplementary exams.
Vice-Chancellor says...
Dr K Narayanasamy, Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University told The New Indian Express that he has taken into account the qualms that were produced to him by the students and he has further issued instructions to the colleges to follow the NMC norms and allow the students to continue with their classes.
Issue with attendance as well
Additionally, he said that a few students had put forth a request to allow them to write the university exam if their attendance is short by 1-2%. However, he adds, that this is not permissible as NMC norms do not allow it. "Attendance is mandatory. Students should have 75% attendance for theory and 80% for practicals," Dr Narayanasamy added.
However, according to the General Secretary of DASE, Dr GR Ravindranath, students who lack attendance do not need to repeat a full academic year. "As per norms, students who lack required attendance have to attend classes only for the period they lack attendance and they need not attend the full academic year. But, a few colleges are not following this," the doctor said to The New Indian Express.
