KATHMANDU, Jan 23: Although the Office of the Controller of Examinations, Tribhuvan University, postponed all the annual and semester examinations under the Dean's Office due to increasing risk of COVID-19 infection, the Faculty of Medical Studies (Institute of Medicine) has decided to continue with the examinations of dentistry program as planned before starting January 24.

While the universities have postponed the examinations of other programs with the rise of the third wave of COVID-19, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu has also instructed all the educational bodies not to conduct the examinations in the physical presence of students at present. But a large number of students are under a lot of stress as the IOM decided not to defer the final year dental examination scheduled for Monday in the physical presence of students.

A final-year dental student at Kist Medical College in Gwarko told Republica over the phone that she was infected with COVID-19, but the college told her to take part in the test, adding mental stress. "I have tested positive for COVID-19, and many of my friends have also shown symptoms," she said. “More than half of the 31 examinees from my class have fever and cough. It is not possible to reach the examination center. How to take the exam? The IOM needs to postpone it for a few days.”

Another student of People's Dental College in Chetrapati also requested to relieve the stress by postponing the examination as soon as possible. "My family members are infected with COVID-19, and I also have symptoms," she said. “In this condition, how do I  prepare for the exam?”

The Universal Medical College of Bhairahawa is also affiliated to Tribhuvan University. A student of the college said that he was sick in the dormitory and demanded that the IOM postpone Monday's exam and remove the confusion of the exam."There are 42 dental examinees from our college. More than 28 people have flu and COVID-like symptoms,” the student said on condition of anonymity. “I am also sick. The teaching staff of the college are also sick. How to take the exam in such a situation? Security measures are also not adopted in the examination center. The examinations should be postponed for now in view of the increasing risk. ‘

Keshav Acharya, a legal adviser at Kist Medical College, admitted that COVID’s risk was increasing at the moment. He said that since the IOM did not change its decision regarding the examination, Monday's examination was not postponed.

“Nothing is greater than health. The government is only increasing the number of infections in the name of smart lockdown,” said Acharya. “There are crowds in public vehicles. People without masks and sanitizers are walking freely in the streets.” 

IOM Dean Dr Divya Singh said the office would take necessary decisions after assessing the seriousness of the condition. "I have contracted corona myself. We have to look after health,” said Dr Singh, "The dean's office is preparing to discuss and decide on what to do with the dental examination from Monday. The dean's office will not do any work that will cause mental stress to the students. New decisions will be made about the examinations on Sunday.”

 
• IOM
 
• examinations
 
• COVID-19
 
• postpone