MBBS students can now write exam in Hindi, English and Hinglish : MP Medical University

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Medical University has taken a decision to allow medical aspirants sitting for their MBBS entrance to write their exam in Hindi, English and a mix of Hindi and English known as Hinglish.

A Madhya Pradesh Medical University circular, issued on May 26 stated, "Following a detailed discussion, the board of studies has decided that students of all homeopathy and ayurvedic colleges affiliated with the university will have the option to answer questions in their exams in English/ Hindi or a mixture of the two (Hindi English). This facility is now being extended to students of all the faculties (MBBS, nursing, dental, unani, yoga, naturopathy)".

The circular further mentioned that this language use facility will be extended for the oral and practical exams too. If a student is unable to find a technical/scientific word in Hindi, he or she will be allowed to use an English word instead. Marks would not be deducted on the basis of language use in the exam, if the answer is found to be scientifically or technically correct.

Signed by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr R S Sharma, the circular said that his facility was being granted because it had been observed that students for some reason were not able to write their papers in English, despite having sound knowledge of their subjects.

Besides solving the student's problem, this proposed decision had also been taken as an effort to give Hindi its called for a place in the academic world.

Elaborating further on the university taking this decision, Dr Sharma cited a study done by a professor of anatomy in Indore, who had carried out a survey which had concluded that the meritorious Hindi speaking student was not able to perform well in medical exams due to poor expression despite, excellent understanding of medical subjects.

"He knows the answer, but can't write that in English properly. It is in his interest that the decision has been taken and what is wrong if someone is allowed to write in his mother tongue, which is our national language also?" queried Dr Sharma.

Dr Bhandari in conversation with TOI, appreciating the universities decision said that he taught medical students in Hindi because they had a better grasp of the language.

"Later, my head of the department, too, started teaching in Hindi though she was from Punjab and her husband was a Bengali because she felt students understood her better when taught in Hindi. I had done my MD in Hindi. In viva voce, examiners don't mind if someone speaks in Hindi or Hinglish but in theory papers, English continues to be an issue with students coming from a rural background or weaker sections", he added.