MGR Medical University declares results of 41 MBBS students Null and Void for mass cheating

Chennai: In a major jolt, Dr MGR Medical University has declared exam written by 41 MBBS students of 2nd, 3rd and final year of private medical colleges as null and void over mass cheating that was backed by the involvement of invigilators as well. The university has resultantly removed Madha Medical College and Hospital and Melmaruvathur Adiparasakthi Medical College as MBBS exam centres for 3 years while the students will have to reappear for their exam in the month of February next year.

The direction came after an anonymous petition which was moved with the university alleging malpractice in MBBS exam, seeking probe in the matter.

The MBBS exam was held in August as scheduled by the university. Madha Medical College was the allotted exam centre for a total of 41 MBBS students including 25 2nd-year students, one 3rd-year student and 15 final year students. During the examination, extensive mass cheating was seen in a 3-hour CCTV footage that showed candidates roaming inside the examination hall and passing notes, exchanging answer sheets, chits, books and dictating of answers inside the hall. Apart from this, a few students were seen leaving the exam hall and re-entering the hall after 30 minutes.

The shocking aspect of the entire course of action was that even the invigilators were seen helping the students write their exams. The invigilators were standing close to the writing desks, eyeing into the answer scripts and talking to the students.

The entire scenario was captured in video footage which was submitted by the Adi Parasakthi College after the university sought it to inquire about the matter based on the anonymous plea. The exam disciplinary committee closely scrutinized the footage and apparent evidence of mass copying was found.

As per Dr Sudha Seshayyan, Vice-chancellor MRG medical university, based on the recommendations of the exam disciplinary committee and as per university ordinances, disciplinary action was taken against the 2 private medical colleges, barring them from conducting MBBS exams for three years on their premises. Moreover, the exam written by the students has been declared null and void, instructing them further to re-write their exams in 2020.

Commenting on the matter, a senior official of Madha Medical college told TOI, that they were unaware of the malpractice. He further claimed had they been a party to the malpractice, they would not have submitted the videotape.

Presently, the MBBS exam results of Madha Medical College has been put on hold.