MBBS Students Admitted From 2019-20 Onwards Get Extra Mercy Attempt to Clear First Professional Exam In a major relief, students admitted to the MBBS course in the academic year 2019-20 onwards have been granted one additional “mercy attempt” to pass the first professional MBBS examination. As a result, they now have a total of five attempts, including the prescribed four, to clear the examination. The mercy attempt shall be available even if a student has crossed the specified four-year period for completing the course, provided that their admission continues to remain valid. However, the overall duration for completion of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course, including the applicable period of Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI), shall not exceed ten years from the date of admission. “Grant of the additional attempt shall not be construed as extending or relaxing the aforesaid maximum overall duration,” it said. Students admitted to the MBBS course in the academic year 2019-20 and onwards who have already availed themselves of one additional mercy attempt, thereby exhausting a total of five attempts, shall not be entitled to any further attempts under the relaxation granted by the Commission. The decision to offer undergraduate medical students a mercy attempt was taken at the National Medical Commission’s 18th meeting, held on September 23. The matter was taken up in light of representations received from students, universities and other stakeholders seeking an additional attempt on account of exceptional circumstances, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, health-related issues and other personal difficulties. The NMC clarified that the relaxation is a “one-time exceptional transitional” measure to provide relief in eligible pending cases before the Commission. “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 said. Deepali Samaniya has been covering education for the past 2 years with a passion for SEO and a knack for crafting engaging stories. She specialises in... View More