E-Kantipur

KATHAMNDU, MAR 15 -

Candidates for three post-graduate medicine courses appeared for the entrance examinations on Sunday amid protests at the Maharajgunj-based Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University.

After the examination was over, the 140 candidates who appeared for its demanded a cancellation of the exam saying it was not fair.

Entrance examinations conducted by the Institute have come under scrutiny after students accused the Dean Dr. Arun Sayami and Assistant Dean Dr. Ratindra Shrestha of leaking the questions for Rs. 12 million in bribes so as to secure the seats for those who had paid the money.

Three students of the Institute were seriously injured in Sunday’s protests, while five more were detained and then released. The clashes took place when irate students, resident doctors and professors continued their protests on Sunday. The protests continued while the examinations were

being conducted.

Meanwhile, resident doctors at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) called for an indefinite strike of operations except in the Outpatient and Emergency Departments from Sunday demanding the cancellation of the examinations and the resignation of officers at the Dean’s office. 

“We have continued our protests since the examinations were not fair,” said Manoj Kumar Paudyal, President of Free Students Union at Maharajgunj Campus. “We demand the authorities cancel the test, the office bearers at the Dean’s office resign, and a fair probe be conducted to reschedule the exam as soon as possible.”

The agitators formed an action committee on Sunday and decided to not hold any talks with the authorities. “We have decided to talk only with the Vice-Chancellor and the Education Minister,” said Dr. Karbir Nath Yogi, president of Professors’ Association of Maharajgunj Campus.

The officer bearers at the Dean’s office on Sunday made an attempt to restrain the agitators, but failed,

The examinations on Sunday were conducted for entrances into three post-graduate degrees--Master’s in Medicine, Master’s in Lab Technology, and Master’s in Public Health.

Refuting any charges of bribery, Dr. Sayami said, “There was a similar rumour last year, but my own daughter failed the entrance, while my younger daughter also failed the MBBS entrance. Further, they have been demanding the cancellation of this years’ examinations alleging that we leaked the question papers one month back. But the questions were set only on Friday between 9 PM to 12 PM and none of us, not even the peons, left the office after that. How could we leak the questions?”

According to him, since the entrance examinations including those conducted on Sunday were held smoothly, only the “boycotted and cancelled” test of one centre will be rescheduled to a later date.

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