BANGALORE: A committee headed by J.K. Arora, former Development Commissioner, set up to suggest reforms to the MBBS examination system, has recommended continuation of internal assessment (IA).

The committee, which submitted its report to Minister for Medical Education V.S. Acharya on Friday, has said that the weightage of 20 per cent for IA and 80 per cent for the university examination is reasonable. The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences should formulate detailed guidelines for allocation of marks for day-to-day assessment, evaluation of student assignment, preparation for seminar and clinical case presentation. It has recommended assessment once in three phases (or months). Such assessments should account for 25 per cent of the IA (practical) marks.

The committee was set up keeping in view some of the deficiencies in the conduct of the IA pointed out by medical colleges affiliated to the university.

It has recommended that marks be awarded for students' participation in sports and cultural activities. Such marks should be included in the IA. The principal of a medical college should appoint a team of two examiners for the IA (practical), and they should independently award marks and hand over the same to the head of the department for compilation of results, the committee has said.

Mr. Arora said principals should be made responsible to the university for all matters relating to the IA. Each college is free to conduct the IA on a date of its choice. However, dates and time fixed for each IA should be announced on the notice-board and website of the college as also those of the university at least a week in advance.

The report says that viva voce might be a part of the university's theory papers. But the viva voce must be videotaped and the record kept for six months or till the disposal of the case, if there is one.

The students must secure a minimum of 40 per cent marks in each of the university's theory papers. The overall pass percentage should, however, remain at 50 per cent, the committee has said.

Examiners must give their reasons in case a student is awarded less than 40 per cent marks or more than 75 per cent in the university's practical/clinical examinations and viva voce.

All the four examiners must sign a statement giving such reasons/justifications, the report said.

The Government must set up a high-level committee consisting of the Secretary for Medical Education, the Vice-Chancellor of the university and the Director of Medical Education to ensure that the recommendations are implemented according to a time-scale.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail