Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh. (Source: PTI Photo)
State Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh on Friday said the decision to conduct under-graduate and post-graduate examination of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) was taken only after detailed discussions and consultations were held on the issue. Deshmukh was in Pune to review the coronavirus situation in the city.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said he had met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari after the Nashik-based MUHS submitted a detailed report about holding the exams from July 15. On Thursday, Koshyari granted permission to conduct all under-graduate and post-graduate examinations as proposed by the university.
When it was pointed out to him that the state’s Technical and Higher Education Ministry has decided not to conduct exams, whereas his ministry will hold them, Deshmukh said, “The two ministries — technical/higher education and medical education — are different. Their curriculum is different, their central councils and universities are different. I think they are following their own guidelines, while we are adhering to ours.”
Students will not have to travel far to appear for the exams and arrangements will be made so that they can write the exams in their home districts, said the Congress leader. “A detailed programme will be issued shortly,” he added.
Deshmukh said the decision to conduct these exams was taken after detailed discussions with apex medical bodies.
Earlier, in a letter to the Governor, Deshmukh stated that the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences has decided to conduct all its summer examinations as per one of three possible plans, depending on the situation, from July 15. As per the first plan, the theory examinations will be held between July 15 and August 15 in a staggered manner if the situation is conducive. If the examination is not held as per the first plan due to the Covid-19 situation, the second plan will be followed and it will be held between August 16 and September 15.
According to the third plan, if examinations are not held as per the earlier two plans, then the University will take guidance from the Central Medical Council on ways to conduct examinations, such as holding them online.