Call to re-introduce former system of professional exams in MBBS courses
Monday, 24 September 2007
Our Correspondent
RAJSHAHI, Sept 23: A group of medical students from various medical colleges of the country held a press conference at Metropolitan Press club here Friday where they made a call for the reintroduction of the previous system of professional examinations in their five year MBBS courses for the greater interest of the students and the nation.
In a written statement, the students said that during their five year MBBS course they attend three professional examinations. But because of the newly introduced curriculum and examination systems from 2002, students are in dilemma and become victims of the system losing a huge amount of money, energy and valuable time as a student.
The statement said, after the completion of the first professional examination (2nd year), students taking part in third year classes attended wards and took part in all sorts of class activities including the daily examination, viva and terminal examinations. These activities, results and class examination records are recorded. After the publication of the result of the first professional examination, if any student fails in any subject, he or she is allowed to appear in the supplementary examination in that subject only once. If unfortunately, he or she fails in the supplementary examination, they are demoted to second year classes and all his/her records of the third year classes come to naught thus jeopardising his or her student life by snatching away one year from their valuable student life.
The students said that in the former curriculum there was no provision for any student to be demoted, rather he or she were given further chances to reappear in the examination if they failed in the supplementary examination.
The statement mentioned that the newly introduced system was not only damaging a student's life but the government was also incurring losses in the reallocating of funds for that student and ultimately, the student becomes a burden rather than an asset of the nation.
The students further stated that for those studying in the 36 private medical colleges, the situation is worse because when they lose a year, they are forced to spend a huge amount of money as private institutions are extremely expensive and they end up paying additional session charges, tuition fees, examination fees and other related fees. This is however, a 'profitable business' for many private medical colleges who are earning millions of taka from the faulty system.
The students thus demanded the cancellation of the new curriculum and reintroduction of the old system in which an unsuccessful student can appear in the examination more than once.
They further mentioned that they repeatedly appealed to the Deans of the universities, Director, Directorate of Health Shefayet Ullah and Registrar of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council AZ Basunia and former president of BMA Zahid Hossain (now a fugitive after being charged in a corruption case) for the last several years requesting them to reintroduce the former system of professional examinations but with no effect.
Finally, they pleaded once again to the concerned authorities, specially, the present government to reconsider their demands to save the student life of hundreds of medical students from the grip of utter misery, disgrace and financial loss.
Among others, the press conference was attended by Ratan of DMC, Abvhik of SSMC, Mushfique of Ch.M.C, Ahsan of B.M.C, Shibley of RMC and Iman of Islami Bank MC.
RAJSHAHI, Sept 23: A group of medical students from various medical colleges of the country held a press conference at Metropolitan Press club here Friday where they made a call for the reintroduction of the previous system of professional examinations in their five year MBBS courses for the greater interest of the students and the nation.
In a written statement, the students said that during their five year MBBS course they attend three professional examinations. But because of the newly introduced curriculum and examination systems from 2002, students are in dilemma and become victims of the system losing a huge amount of money, energy and valuable time as a student.
The statement said, after the completion of the first professional examination (2nd year), students taking part in third year classes attended wards and took part in all sorts of class activities including the daily examination, viva and terminal examinations. These activities, results and class examination records are recorded. After the publication of the result of the first professional examination, if any student fails in any subject, he or she is allowed to appear in the supplementary examination in that subject only once. If unfortunately, he or she fails in the supplementary examination, they are demoted to second year classes and all his/her records of the third year classes come to naught thus jeopardising his or her student life by snatching away one year from their valuable student life.
The students said that in the former curriculum there was no provision for any student to be demoted, rather he or she were given further chances to reappear in the examination if they failed in the supplementary examination.
The statement mentioned that the newly introduced system was not only damaging a student's life but the government was also incurring losses in the reallocating of funds for that student and ultimately, the student becomes a burden rather than an asset of the nation.
The students further stated that for those studying in the 36 private medical colleges, the situation is worse because when they lose a year, they are forced to spend a huge amount of money as private institutions are extremely expensive and they end up paying additional session charges, tuition fees, examination fees and other related fees. This is however, a 'profitable business' for many private medical colleges who are earning millions of taka from the faulty system.
The students thus demanded the cancellation of the new curriculum and reintroduction of the old system in which an unsuccessful student can appear in the examination more than once.
They further mentioned that they repeatedly appealed to the Deans of the universities, Director, Directorate of Health Shefayet Ullah and Registrar of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council AZ Basunia and former president of BMA Zahid Hossain (now a fugitive after being charged in a corruption case) for the last several years requesting them to reintroduce the former system of professional examinations but with no effect.
Finally, they pleaded once again to the concerned authorities, specially, the present government to reconsider their demands to save the student life of hundreds of medical students from the grip of utter misery, disgrace and financial loss.
Among others, the press conference was attended by Ratan of DMC, Abvhik of SSMC, Mushfique of Ch.M.C, Ahsan of B.M.C, Shibley of RMC and Iman of Islami Bank MC.