34 MBBS Final year students fail at GMC Kozhikode, demand exam overhaul

Kozhikode:With 34 final year MBBS students of the 2013 batch of Government Medical College, Kozhikode out of the total 200 failed, a commotion of sorts prevails among both experts and failures. Each on their part are now demanding the overhauling of the present examination system. The reason for the mass failure is being accounted to irrelevant questions having been asked of the students during the examination, which led to a state of confusion and nervousness, resulting in failure.

The results were declared by the Kerala University of Health Sciences a couple of days ago. Thirty of them are believed to have failed in the practical exams in General Medicine. The college has a total intake of 250 students; one of the highest among government medical colleges in Kerala.

The issue has gained mammoth proportions, due to failures in other colleges remaining below 10. 19 students had failed at Kozhikode last year.

According to college sources, some of the brightest have stayed back this year in their practical exams as they were not even given 45 marks, which could have helped them clear with a 50, and a moderation of 5 grace marks. There are others who have cleared with 50 marks. A clearance believed to be based on grace marks.

There are allegations that some of the external examiners and a few of their internal counterparts posed irrelevant questions

A student who wished to remain anonymous stated that medicos who clear the continuing evaluations (CE) and internal tests in each semester are allowed to appear for the final exams. He wondered how those who performed well in their internals could fail in the final exam.

Dr K.P. Aravindan, former Professor and Head of the Department, Pathology, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, demanded a change in the examination pattern while talking to The Hindu on Monday.

"Those who get admission to the medical college here are the highest rank holders in the State-level entrance test. It is unlikely that they lack skills," he said. Dr Aravindan suggested that the university authorities change over to the objective structured clinical examination, which is a more hands-on and modern mechanism.

Meanwhile, college sources revealed that the Principal had called for a meeting of the Parents'-Teachers' Association, Teachers' Core Committee, and student representatives, on Wednesday, to discuss the present problem.