NMC allows 'relief attempt' for 2019-20 batch of MBBS students

New Delhi: Medical students across the country can finally breathe a sigh of relief after being granted an extra chance to pass their first professional exams for the academic year 2019-2020.

The National Medical Commission (NMC), India's primary regulatory organisation for medical education and practise, issued a circular yesterday, May 12, 2023, granting MBBS students an additional or "mercy" attempt at the first professional test for the 2019-2020 academic year.

The new attempt is in response to a directive issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the subject on May 2, 2023. "In compliance with the direction dated 2.05.2023 issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in the above matter, the National Medical Commission hereby allows one additional attempt (5th attempt) to such MBBS students," states Dr Pulkesh Kumar, NMC Secretary, in the NMC circular.

As a result, students enrolled in medical schools in 2019-2020 will be offered a fifth or additional try to pass their professional MBBS examination. This relief is only available to this batch and those who failed their first-year test four times.

According to the earlier rule, it was mandatory for the students to clear their first professional MBBS exams in the first four attempts. But due to the pandemic, medical colleges were closed in academic year 2019-20, because of which many students faced difficulties in their MBBS studies during that year.

“This shall be a one-time measure and may not be treated as a precedence for future,” stated the NMC circular.