NTR Health University in BDS exams row

Vijayawada: The NTR Health University authorities are facing criticism over the reported biased role of a few officers in the examination sections, as they are not following guidelines in finalising the eligible external examiners’ names for the scheduled BDS practical examinations from Monday.

In fact, the Government Dental College (GDC) principal, who is also the chairman, Board of Studies (BoS), has been suggested to take this responsibility, which is against the Dr NTR University of Health Sciences (Dr NTRUHS) constitution, senior professors alleged.

The present system of conducting practical and clinical examination at several universities provide chance for unrealistic proportions of luck. Only a particular clinical procedure or experiment is usually given for the examination. The clinical and practical examination should provide a number of chances for the candidate to express one’s skills.  

A number of examination stations with specific instructions has to be provided. This can include clinical procedures, laboratory experiments and spotters, according to a professor of Dr NTRUHS.  

The method of objective structured clinical examinations should be followed, he observed, and added that it will avoid examiner bias because both the examiner and the examinee are given specific instructions on what is to be observed at each station.

But, the present scenario in the university is contradicting Dr NTRUHS’s basic constitution, as a majority of the external examiners are being chosen and finalised by the Board of Studies (BoS) chairman.

“This is causing disturbances in the examination system,” a professor from a private dental college, Guntur, said, and questioned as to how BoS chairman could clear or finalise the list of external examiners.

This controversial decision has been taken to support and protect the vested interests of private dental colleges, he alleged. Terming the allegations as unfortunate, Government Dental College (GDC) principal Dr Muralimohan, felt that nobody could question the integrity of the controller of examinations Dr K. Vijay Kumar.

“He is the man, who has guarded the image of Dr NTRUHS during the PG papers leakage last year,” Dr Muralimohan added.

The GDC principal also said that as BoS chairman, he could suggest any changes required in the list of external examiners.

“It is purely an administrative affair and nothing to do with protecting the interests of the private dental colleges,” he said, and added that new BoS was not yet formed. Post-bifurcation issues are to be addressed, he said.