KATHMANDU, Sept 4: A group of medical studies aspirants staged a peaceful demonstration at Maitighar on Wednesday against a suspected serious error in the publication of the integrated entrance examination results by the Medical Education Commission (MEC). The protest took place a day after members of the National Assembly raised serious concerns about recently surfaced details regarding irregularities in results surrounding the examination, demanding that the matter be thoroughly investigated. 

The protesters demanded that the MEC publish the question set, answer key and the Optical Mark Recognition(OMR) paper they submit during their examination. In the absence of publication of these exam materials, students are simply notified of their scores, without any critical space for checking whether their answers have been marked properly. In addition, every year, a group of medical studies aspirants are subjected to repeated examination by the commission citing mistakes in the examination process.

The MEC claimed that students can apply to access their OMR sheet and answer key on an individual basis while the decision to publish the question set is being discussed internally at the commission. According to information officer of the MEC, Sarita Kumari Khatiwada, a meeting of highly-placed home ministry officials, Education Secretary Dr Dipak Kaphle and Technology Secretary Bishwo Babu Pudasaini is yet to reach a conclusion on whether it would be legally sound to publish the question.

Instead of preparing for their entrance examination in medical studies, the students concerned about the transparency in results of their own upcoming entrance examination chose to stage the demonstration after information alleging the MEC with grave corruption came to light. The Commission is chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and co-chaired by Minister for Education, Science and Technology Bidya Bhattarai and the Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Poudel.

The students protested along with placards with various creative slogans demanding that the erroneous results should be published by the commission, claiming the errors have jeopardized the future of the students who have worked diligently  for years and participated in the examination. 

Here are some pictures of the protest: 

 
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