MGR Medical University : Revised MBBS results withheld after protests

As we had predicted in our detailed analysis of the Medical Students vs MGR Medical University Legal skirmish, the University has decided to roll back to the old system

We had already seen that the General Council of the University had decided to revert to old system

In Continuation of that, Plea against varsity rule dismissed as withdrawn in the Hon’ble High Court of Chennai today

The result was also applicable to the Final Year students who had been declared having “failed” in Surgery, because they did not get 50 percent in Orthopaedics, even though they have “passed” in the combined score

Now the latest twist in this saga is that the Revised Results have been further withheld. The announcement at the official website of the Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University  ( http://tnmgrmu.ac.in/ ) says

Results of First MBBS published on 13-11-2011 have been withdrawn. Revised  Results of  First MBBS as per MCI Regulations for the exam held in August 2011 will be published shortly.

Update :

First year M.B.B.S. results as per M.C.I. Regulations (Graduate Medical Education 1997 amended upto 2010) for the exams held in August 2011 will be tentatively published on Wednesday, 23.11.2011.

Update (23/11/2011) : MGR University First year M.B.B.S. results for August 2011 ( I MBBS Aug 2011 ) published

Update (24/11/2011) : MGR University vs Medicos – Write Exam for 500, Get Marks for 200 – Left in lurch, docs rise in protest

Update (01.02.2012) : Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University new exam rules : 50 % mandatory for pass
Update (16/06/2013) : No Brake or Break in MBBS ? MGR University to conduct supplementary exams to enable students join main batch
From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/-Revised-MBBS-results-withheld-after-protests/articleshow/10735475.cms

CHENNAI: The state medical university on Monday withheld results of the first year MBBS examination after students went on a protest alleging that Medical Council of India guidelines were not followed despite a court direction .The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University on Saturday published revised results following the advice of chief minister J Jayalalithaa and directions from the Madras high court to follow MCI rules. In January, the university revised the exam rules, making it mandatory for students to secure at least 50% marks in each of the papers to be promoted. After the new rule was implemented , 40% of the students who appeared for the examination in August failed. The university said the failed students must clear the papers in February before they can attend second year classes.

The students petitioned the chief minister and moved the court against the new rules. They said the MCI insisted only on an aggregate of 50% in each subject, which includes two theory papers, viva and a practical exam. After CM’s intervention, the university decided to go back to old rules and told the court it would follow MCI guidelines.

But even in the revised results , the pass percentage increased by only 10%. Hundreds of students staged a protest in the university campus on Monday and alleged contempt of court by the vice chancellor .

“The university is insisting that a student should score a minimum of 50% in theory papers. But the MCI guidelines talk only of an aggregate of 50%, including theory and viva . Is this not a violation of the court order?” said one of the students. “It’s a disregard for CM’s advice,”a student said.

But the university officials said that they have always been following this pattern. “We have been declaring results like this for years. Why should we alter rules to push up pass percentage,” asked vice-chancellor Dr Mayil Vahanan Natarajan. The university , he said, has withheld the results and sought legal opinion .

From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/MBBS-result-fiasco-puts-colleges-in-a-fix/articleshow/10749950.cms

CHENNAI: The state medical university is revising the first year MBBS results for the second time to suit the Medical Council of India guidelines. As data analysis – which may take at least a couple of days – is likely to increase pass percentage from the present 60%, doctors at medical colleges are discussing ways to accommodate more students in the second year.

Nearly 40% of students who took their first year undergraduate exams in August failed after the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University made it mandatory for students to secure at least 50% marks in each of the papers to be promoted . The failed students petitioned the chief minister and moved the court against the new rules. After the CM’s intervention , the university decided to go back to the old rules and told the court it would follow MCI guidelines. On Sunday, when the university declared the results for the second time, the students went on a protest. The revised results increased the pass percentage by only 10% and students said that the university had failed to follow MCI guideline once again. It insisted students should get at least 50% in theory paper to be promoted . The MCI mandates an aggregate of 50% in each subject, which includes a minimum of 50% in theory papers and viva, and 50% in practical exam.

When the university revises the result , more students are likely to join the second year batch. But college heads say these students will be treated as a fresh batch as they have missed portions for a month. On October 16, classes for students who passed in the first batch began . The remaining 1,277 students were asked to reappear for the exam in February 2012 before joining classes for the second year. “But they cannot join the regular classes as they have already missed introductory portions. They will have to join as a separate batch and professors will have to take additional classes for them to complete the portions they have missed,” said Madras Medical College dean Dr S Kanakasabai.

Senior professors say the 15-month course for second year is tightly scheduled . Professors not only have to teach the same lessons twice, but have to ensure they complete portions for both batches. In the second year, students study four non-clinical subjecs – pathology , microbiology, pharmacology and forensic medicine. Most of these departments face faculty shortage. For instance, there are less than 10 forensic experts for 17 medical colleges across the state. By February, another batch of students who failed to clear the exam will join as the supplementary batch. “It will be difficult to handle additional batches. Every college has to plan every hour in advance,” said former director of medical education Dr S Vinayagam.