43% student failure in MBBS Final year: IGMCRI initiates probe

Puducherry: An inquiry has been initiated by a probe panel into the reasons that have led to 43% students failing in their MBBS final year exam at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI). The panel looking into the reasons behind this huge number of failed students comprises of the officials from the health department and the Dean and Director of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI).

The Director, IGMCRI, V. Govindaraj, who is part of the probe committee which met at the Pondicherry Central University, said they would be examining the internal assessments of students to understand the high percentage of failures.

On February 3, when Pondicherry University declared the results, the students to their horror discovered that nearly half the final year MBBS students of IGMCRI had failed the practical examination.

According to a recent report in Hindu, out of the 123 students who sat for the examination, 55 had failed overall and 50 only in the practical examination.

“Most of the students have failed in the medicine practical alone. Even more remarkably, of the 50 students, nearly 32 failed in one practical examination," a senior official in IGMCRI told the daily.

Students had to score 50% in various practical examinations in order to pass said examination officials. Two external examiners along with two internal examiners evaluate the students during the exam.

Dr. Govindaraj informed that of the 138 second-year students who sat for the exam 125 cleared it; while 136 out of 139 cleared the third year MBBS examination. “Only 15% to 20% failure is recorded every year. This year, it has increased to over 40%,” he told The Hindu.

The Dean (in-charge) of IGMCRI, Nanditha, has been assigned the task of looking into the reasons for so many having failed and submit a report to the committee, said Dr. Govindraj.