CHENNAI: Coming to the rescue of students of the defunct Annai Medical College at Sriperumbudur, the Madras High Court has directed the State government authorities to allow the affected students accommodated in various other medical colleges in the State, to attend the second year classes till March 2019, so that, they will have the minimum required attendance of 75 per cent for writing the second year examination in August 2019.
Justice N Kirubakaran gave the directive while disposing of a batch of revision and writ petitions from the students and others. While the students sought to review the court’s earlier order dated April 28, 2018, the writ petitions sought to declare a circular dated May 9, 2018 of the Director of Medical Education (DME) stating that the relocated students are eligible to appear for second year examinations only in August 2019 and third year examinations in August 2020 and subsequently, in August 2021, for final year examinations.
The judge said the State Health Secretary and DME should conduct the second year examinations for the accommodated students in August 2019 and permit them to attend third year classes along with regular students and continue their studies from April 2019 onwards.
Taking into consideration the fact that the students had already attended the classes and they are having 62 per cent to 70 per cent of attendance and to give effect to the order passed by the court on December 22, 2017, this court is of the view to allow the relocated students to continue to attend the second year classes till March 2019. After classes for third year students commence, the accommodated students will be allowed to merge with regular students, namely, III year students and continue their studies from April 2019 onwards, the judge said.
Since the requirement of Medical Council of India regulations is 75 per cent attendance, there should not be any problem for the council or for Dr MGR Medical University or for the State in permitting affected students to write the second year exam in August 2019 and similarly, there should not be any problem in allowing them to merge with third year students from April 2019 onwards, the judge said.
This order is passed taking into consideration the peculiar circumstances of students, who continue to suffer for no fault of theirs. They should be given a helping hand, so that they merge with third year students, the judge said.