NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted one additional attempt, or mercy attempt, to eligible MBBS students admitted from the 2019-20 academic year onwards to clear the First Professional MBBS Examination.
This one-time move will increase the maximum number of attempts from four to five.
According to a notice by Dr.Raghav Langer, NMC Secretary, the matter was considered in response to representations from students, universities, and other stakeholders seeking an additional attempt due to exceptional circumstances, including disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, health-related issues, and other personal difficulties.
According to the Commission, the decision was approved at its 18th meeting, held on September 23.
The NMC said the one-time exceptional transitional relaxation is only for students admitted to the MBBS course from academic year 2019-20 and onwards.
These eligible students will be permitted one additional attempt over and above the prescribed four attempts for passing the First Professional MBBS Examination, thus taking it to a total of five attempts.
Also, the additional attempt shall be available even where the student has crossed the prescribed four-year period for completion of the First Professional MBBS Course.
This will be only if the student's admission continues to remain valid and has not been cancelled by the concerned University/College.
The NMC also clarified that students admitted in MBBS Course from academic year 2019-20 and onwards and who have already availed one additional mercy attempt, thus exhausting a total of five attempts, due to an earlier decision of the Commission or any directions of a Court, will not be entitled to any further mercy attempt under the present decision.
“Accordingly, the present relaxation shall not entitle any such student to a sixth attempt,” the public notice said.
“The overall duration for completion of the MBBS course, including the applicable period of Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRI), shall not exceed ten years from the date of admission,” it further said.
The Commission also said that the grant of the additional attempt shall not be construed as extending or relaxing the maximum overall duration.
“The aforesaid relaxation is a one-time exceptional transitional measure intended to provide relief in eligible pending cases before the Commission,” said the public notice addressed to all the state medical departments, the medical colleges and universities.
“The relaxation shall not be construed as retrospective application of the amended regulatory provision concerning the permissible number of attempts, nor shall it be treated as a precedent for subsequent academic batches,” it added.
“All concerned students, universities and other stakeholders are advised to take note of the conditions/instructions as stipulated in the public notice,” added Dr Langer.