MBBS Exit Exams Opposed by IMA

Even if it is voluntary, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed its concern over conducting an exit exam for MBBS graduates and has written regarding the same to the concerned ministry. IMA is in favor of conducting a single exit exam for all medical students that would replace the final year MBBS exam conducted by various colleges and universities. It is proposing the same to the health ministry and the MCI, so that they would adopt the same to reduce the pressure on IMA.

Many of the countries which include US, the UK, Australia, China and Thailand have licensing exams that are separate from the final exams for the medical students in order to declare them graduates and start practicing. The health ministry had proposed the common exit exams for students of the private and government medical colleges in order to make sure the doctors are being produced by these institutes are qualified to hold the position. The ministry had meetings with representatives of IMA and Medical Council of India (MCI) as well, regarding the matter.

The General Secretary of IMA, Dr. KK Agarwal said that the body had previously supported conducting a common entrance exam as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on the grounds of checking the quality of students coming in. Agarwal further added defending the stance taken by IMA regarding the exit exams, “An exit exam, even if it is voluntary, will create two kinds of doctors, those who have passed the exit exam and those who haven’t. Those who have passed it will be considered better doctors and the others will be treated as inferior. That’s not good for society.”