Eight Students Denied Examination Over Attendance Shortage
Jaipur, February 23 – The Rajasthan High Court has ruled that strict attendance requirements for MBBS students must be upheld to maintain high medical education standards. The court dismissed the petitions of eight students who were barred from appearing in their exams due to insufficient attendance.
Court’s Rationale for Strict Attendance Enforcement
Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur emphasized that medical education directly impacts public healthcare and that students must be sufficiently trained in both theoretical and practical aspects.
- Attendance Criteria: MBBS students must have 75% attendance in theory and 80% in practical/clinical sessions to be eligible for exams.
- The court warned that allowing students with inadequate attendance to proceed would compromise healthcare standards.
Case of a Student Who Missed Classes Due to Dengue
- One petitioner, a student from Government Medical College, Barmer, argued that he missed classes due to dengue and was unfairly denied remedial classes.
- His lawyer contended that while the 2023 policy allowed remedial classes, it was later discontinued. The 2024 policy reinstated remedial classes, but the student was still denied the opportunity.
- The court noted that in an earlier case, a student was allowed to sit for exams because his attendance was short in only one subject, whereas the current petitioners had shortages in all subjects.
Court’s Verdict: Academic Excellence Must Be Maintained
The court underscored that medical students are future healthcare providers and must be held to the highest standards:
“A society that allows widespread incompetency cannot thrive. Educational standards must not be degraded to substandard levels.”
The court dismissed the petitions, affirming that students with inadequate attendance cannot be allowed to sit for exams.
Legal Representation
- Petitioners: Advocates Bhavit Sharma and Hukam Singh
- Respondents: Deputy Solicitor General Mukesh Rajpurohit, Advocate Aditi Sharma, and Advocates Parbat Singh and Mahendra Vishnoi
The ruling sets a precedent for strict enforcement of attendance rules in medical education, reinforcing the importance of discipline and rigorous training in the healthcare profession.
