West Bengal introduces new measures for conducting MBBS exams
What's the story
The West Bengal University of Health Sciences has introduced new measures to ensure transparency in MBBS exams. As part of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) introduced under the guidance of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, all exams will now be conducted under CCTV surveillance and live-streamed for real-time monitoring. These changes came after junior doctors demanded stricter examination protocols after the tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Exam integrity
New measures aim to curb malpractice in medical education
To further ensure exam integrity, student answer sheets will now carry barcodes instead of names for identification. The seating arrangements during exams will also be done in an alternating odd-even roll number pattern to discourage cheating among students. These measures are aimed at addressing concerns raised by junior doctors about alleged malpractices, particularly unqualified students getting MBBS certificates despite irregular attendance.
Surveillance storage
Daily CCTV footage to be recorded and stored
Moreover, all the CCTV footage of exam sessions from the entire examination day will be send it to the university. The footage will be kept for at least a year for review. "We hope these changes will also lead to improvements in medical services," a junior doctor wjo was involved in the recent protests remarked.