Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

MBBS muddle: 5 marks moderation recommended

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 17. The Pass Board of the MBBS course of the University of Kerala which met here today has decided to increase the moderation given to the final year examinations to five marks from the present three marks.

According to sources in the University, the Vice-Chancellor, B. Ekbal, has also given his approval to the recommendation. With this, the ongoing controversy regarding the failure of 72 candidates in the examination looks set to be over. The convener of the Syndicate sub-committee that inquired into the matter submitted a report today recommending that sufficient marks be given to candidates so that ``all the so-called failed candidates will pass''.

The failure of so many candidates in the examination had given rise to charges of victimisation of candidates during the practical examinations. Dissatisfied with the probe conducted by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, S. Kevin, the Syndicate had constituted a five-member sub-committee to conduct another inquiry. Even though this committee was to have submitted its report to the Syndicate on or before June 15, the report dated June 11, was submitted only today. Now that the Pass Board itself has come to a conclusion about the moderation issue, what remains is for the Syndicate to formally approve the results of the final year MBBS examinations and for the university to formally declare the same.

If five marks are granted as moderation, 22 more students will pass in the final MBBS examinations, thus improving the pass percentage of this examination. However, there are indications that a group of Syndicate members are planning to press for another inquiry, possibly a Vigilance inquiry, into the whole issue.

Though the marginal hike in moderation may put to rest the controversy about this examination, many top officials of the University say it is time that the University took a close look at the way the MBBS examinations are conducted and put in place mechanisms to prevent allegations of misconduct of examinations in future. As of now, the regulations laid down by the Medical Council have not been approved. Sources say the University, in the light of this controversy, may now be compelled to get these regulations approved, so that they become the norm for the conduct of future MBBS examinations.

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