Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has recently permitted the first year MBBS students of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences, who did not qualify for the second year, to submit their representations to the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The High Court has further directed the NMC to submit a report on the action taken by the NMC with regard to the representations submitted by the students.
This approval was granted to the students by a High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice Ninala Jayasurya.
According to TOI, The students had earlier filed a petition seeking directions to the NMC and Dr NTR University of Health Sciences to give relaxation to the candidates who were unable to clear the first year exams and also permit them to attend second year classes.
The relaxation was sought because according to the NMC's amended norms, a medical student with backlogs in the first year is not eligible to be promoted to the second year. The single-judge bench, while dismissing the petitions, observed that the plea is not in consonance with the rules and the purpose of the amended rules will get defeated if their petitions are allowed.
The students challenged this decision of the single judge bench and alleged that the single judge did not consider the difficulties the students faced during the pandemic. According to the students, the issue in question needs to be considered sympathetically as their future is involved.
However, the division bench of the court said it is not inclined to stay the single judge order at this stage without hearing out all parties.
At the request of the counsel for the petitioners, the high court agreed to allow the students to submit a fresh representation to the NMC and asked NMC to file an action taken report.