New Delhi: Through a recent notification, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued an advisory to all medical colleges on the relaxation of norms for appointing external examiners for MBBS exams after the re-opening of medical college post-COVID-19 break.
This comes in pursuance of the relaxation given by the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) in the provision of Appointment of External Examiners, and conduct of Examination in Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 (GMER) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The recent advisory comes in view of the several representations revised by the apex medical regulator seeking an extension of the given relaxations.
"The Undergraduate Medical Education Board of the National Medical Commission has now considered various representations received from Colleges/Universities requesting an extension of relaxations in the appointment of External Examiners for the conduct of University examination for MBBS course issued by the Board of Governors in supersession of the erstwhile MCI in their Advisory Dated: 04.08.2020 even after the Post COVID-19 re-opening of medical colleges in the country consequent to the letter of Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India", the notice read.
After due consideration, the NMC has now released the advisory with respect to the appointment of External Examiners and the conduct of MBBS after the re-opening of Medical Colleges.
According to the advisory signed under the authority of NMC Secretary Dr RK Vats, the board has decided as under:
Appointment of Examiners:
A. Universities must in the first instance try to adhere to the existing norms regarding External examiners as provided for in Regulations for Graduate Medical Education, 1997 (Part I, Clause 13) and Part II, Clause 11.2.9 (for batches admitted from 2019-20 onwards).
B. If option A is not feasible, Universities are advised to follow one of the following options with respect to External examiners for the MBBS examinations considering the risk stratification of the areas where the Medical colleges/institutions are located, if External examiners are not available from outside the state due to the pandemic:
i. External examiners to be selected from a different University in the State. These External examiners have to be physically present at the venue of the examination.
ii. In case of States having all the medical colleges under the same University i.e. State Health University, Medical Colleges may engage External Examiners from any other college under the State Health University, Both of such External Examiners should be physically present during the examination.
Evaluation of Theory Papers in University Examination.
There have also been requests seeking clarification on the number of examiners required to check the theory scripts during the university examinations, as the existing Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997 Clause 13 is unclear on the matter.
It may be noted that the Graduate Medical Education Regulations (Amendment), 2019 in Clause 11.2.9 (j) states as under: -
"(j) All theory paper assessment should be done as Central Assessment Program (CAP) of concerned university".
Even though this amendment was applicable for MBBS batches admitted from academic year 2019-20 onwards, Universities may adopt the clause mentioned above for conduct of examination of MBBS batches admitted prior to academic year 2019-20 also.
To view the official notice released by the NMC, click on the following link:
https://.in/pdf_upload/nmc-146919.pdf