Go ahead with medical and dental PG Degree, Diploma exams: Telangana High Court

The High Court Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy permitted the Telangana State Government to go ahead with holding the Medical and Dental PG Degree / Diploma Examinations which will commence from June 20-29.

The Bench was hearing public interest litigation filed by Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association seeking a direction to stay the examinations as some of the candidates and aspirants for the above examinations have been affected with Coronavirus and they are not able to attend the examinations.

In its order, the Court observed that the Medical Council of India has informed the Chancellor of the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health University, Warangal that as a one-time measure, the students can be permitted to give their practical examinations by using the simulations and case scenario and no patient will be required to be examined by the students. 158 students who are required to attend the examination at Gandhi Hospital, will be made to appear at an alternate place as Gandhi hospital is designated as Covid-19 hospital.

Moreover, the CJ Bench said that the MCI has already agreed to treat such students as regular students to permit them to take a subsequent examination, which will be scheduled immediately after the situation normalizes. Those students who have already paid the fees, would not be asked to deposit fees, in case they fail to take the present examination.

The State Government represented by J. Ramchander Rao, Addl.AG,TS informed the Court that sufficient safety measures are taken to ensure that all the 1197 students appear for the examination in a safe environment i.e., all will be provided with masks, sanitisers, social distancing will be maintained and in case if any student is found with any symptom of covid 19, he will be separated from other students and asked to write the examination in a separate room. The PIL was disposed of.