Karnataka HC tells RGUHS, HIMS to hold fresh exams for 24 students

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) and Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) to undertake fresh evaluation/examination process of a subject (General Medicine) for 24 students of HIMS.

Justice Vineeth Kothari was hearing a petition filed by Nancy and 23 other students studying MBBS final year who have moved the court challenging the evaluation/ examination system of their paper (General Medicine, Clinical, Practical External) conducted by HIMS between January 5 and 7.

The petitioners have sought for re-examination/re-evaluation of the paper as the same was not conducted in accordance with the relevant rules prescribed by the RGUHS.

The petitioners have contended that as per the ordinance governing the MBBS Degree Course for Clinical Examination, it consists of one long case carrying 80 marks and two short cases carrying 40 marks each.

Thus, in all, though the assessment of the clinical examination is for 160 marks, it is based on the assessment of three cases.

The grievance is that the assessment is made only in one consolidated for 160 marks which is contrary to the ordinance.

The very foundation or the original documents for verifying the compilation of the marks awarded by the two evaluators or four-panel experts for viva-voce, for the paper of these students, is not available on record and the petitioner students have been declared to be failed in this paper, the court said.

The court further directed that the re-evaluation/re-examination for the petitioner students must be conducted strictly in accordance with the rules by maintaining the original record of the separate examination/evaluation by the two evaluators for the long case study/short case study undertaken by the students which are already in the record.

The court directed for a fresh viva-voce test to be
undertaken by a panel of four experts who should record their individual marks on
their independent sheet for each candidate . After awarding of individual marks, the compilation marks awarded by all the four experts may be made.

The court further stated that the result of such fresh evaluation including that of viva-voice may be declared within a period of three weeks from Thursday and the result should be produced before the court in the next date of hearing.

The court adjourned the matter for hearing to May 29.