Four first-year MBBS students at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, who sought a review of their marks in biochemistry, have had their score reduced so much that they have failed in the subject, officials at the institution said.
The original results of the first-year professional exams, published in March, showed they had passed in the biochemistry paper.
Students who qualify in the first-year professional exams are promoted to the second year.
The four students felt they deserved better marks in biochemistry and applied for a reassessment of the papers in that subject. When the review results were published last week, they were shocked to learn that they have failed in the paper.
All four have now sought a re-review of the paper, said an official in the medical college. The official said usually marks go up following a review.
“Usually, students whose marks fall short of the qualifying score in a subject apply for a review hoping that the marks would increase and they would qualify in the paper. Applying for a review just because one is unhappy with the marks is unusual,” the official said.
All four students who sought the review were hoping they would obtain honours marks in biochemistry, said a second-year student who guided the four in applying for the review.
In MBBS, one has to score 75 per cent to make the honours grade in a subject. To pass in the subject, the student has to score 40 in each paper and 50 per cent of the total marks in the subject.
“The students have applied to the West Bengal University of Health Sciences for a re-review of their biochemistry papers,” said an official of medical college.
The students are also preparing for the supplementary exam in biochemistry. They have to write two theory papers of 100 marks each and appear in a practical of 100 marks.
The theory papers are scheduled for May 18 and 19.
“We have asked them to write the supplementary exams because we are not sure how much time the re-review may take,” the official said.
