CJI Disapproves MBBS Students Plea to Retake Exams After Four Attempts

CJI DY Chandrachud on Wednesday expressed his disappointment with the petitioners in a plea filed by candidates seeking to appear in the first professional university exams for MBBS after four failed attempts.

The case was heard by a bench of Justices that included Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha, and Justice JB Pardiwala.

Following the mention of the petition, CJI DY Chandrachud stated, while referring to the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education (Amendment) 2019, “You are not permitted by the law. We will hear the case on its merits. We’ll put it on the list.”

However, when the counsel pushed for a date, the CJI remarked, ” We are only cutting corners for education. These are doctors – you failed four times and now you want to appear again. Instead of doing all of this and going to court, do your work. This is not permitted anywhere in the world. What kind of doctors will we produce?”

The petitioners’ counsel highlighted that the candidates attempted to become doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that if the plea was not heard, over 1000 students would not become doctors.

CJI stated, “Other people also appeared in COVID and passed. I’ll think about it and give you a date.”

To amend the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997, the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education (Amendment) 2019 were passed in 2019.

The revised regulations reads, “A candidate may take up to four attempts to pass the first Professional examination. The total time required to complete the first Professional course shall not exceed four years. A partial attendance at an examination in any subject counts as an attempt.”