New Delhi: Through a recent notice, the apex medical regulator, the Board of Governors in Supersession of the Medical Council of India (MCI BOG) has issued an advisory to all medical colleges announcing the temporary relaxation in the appointment of external examiners in the conduct of examinations in the light of COVID-19 outbreak. The advisory at the same time advised all Universities to complete the University Examinations for PG Board Specialities by 30th June 2020.
The relaxations come in the Provision of Appointment of External Examiners in the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2000
team had earlier reported that the MCI BOG had directed all government and private medical colleges in the country to conduct the MD, MS, PG Diploma examinations for the Final Year PG medical students as soon as the situation is suitable for the same.
Read also: MCI tells all medical colleges to conclude final year PG Medical Exams, as soon as condusive
The conduct of exams, however, apart from other hurdles has seen a major issue in terms of appointment of External Examiners, that are necessary under the regulations. The Board of Governors considered the representations from Universities across the country, wherein they have expressed their difficulties in getting External Examiners for the conduct of exams due to restriction in travel imposed due to the current Pandemic situation. The representations also had sought relaxation in the existing norms for the conduction of the exams regarding the appointment of External Examiners.
2. In view of these representations, the Board of Governors in Supersession of Medical Council of India in their meeting held on 15.5.2020 decided as under:-
A) Universities in the first instance must try to adhere to the existing norms regarding External Examiners.
B) The Universities are advised to follow one of the following options with respect to External Examiners for the PG examinations considering the risk stratification of the areas wherein the Medical Colleges /Institutions are located if two external examiners from outside State are not available due to the pandemic.
(i) Two External Examiners to be selected from a different University in the State. Both of these Examiners have to be physically present at the venue of the examinations.
(ii) In case option (i) above is not possible, one of the two External Examiners to be selected from a different University, who would be physically present at the venue of the examinations and the second External Examiner from another different University outside the State who would participate through video-conferencing.
(iii) In case option (ii) is also not possible, both the External Examiners from two different Universities outside the State who would participate through video-conferencing.
(iv) In the case of States having the medical colleges under the same University i.e. State Health University, the Medical Colleges may engage External Examiners from any other College under that State Health University. Both External Examiners should be physically present during the examination.
3. External Examiners may also be taken from any of the following Institutes of National Importance- AIIMS, (New Delhi), AIIMS (Jodhpur). AIIMS (Bhubaneswar), AIIMS (Bhopal), AIIMS (Raipur), AIIMS (Rishikesh), AIIMS (Patna), PGIMER (Chandigarh), NIMHANS(Bengaluru), JIPMER(Puducherry) and Shree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology(Thiruvanathapuram).
4. Further, this advisory is a one-time measure for the current exams to be held in 2020 only in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.
" The Universities are advised to complete the University Examinations for PG Board Specialities by 30th June 2020," the notice by Dr RK Vats, Secretary-Generala , MCI further added
To read the advisory click on the following link
PDF Link: https://.in/pdf_upload/pdf_upload-129236.pdf