MBBS first-year students get five attempts to clear exams

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted MBBS first-year students an additional opportunity to clear their examinations, taking the total number of permitted attempts to five.Following the NMC’s order, the first-year MBBS supplementary examinations in Kerala, which were scheduled to begin on October 27, have been postponed to November 9, Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal said.Since 2019, students have been allowed four attempts within four years to clear their first-year MBBS examinations. The latest order increases the number of attempts to five. However, the overall period allowed for completing the MBBS course, including the internship, will remain unchanged at 10 years.From 2019 batchThe revised provision will benefit students admitted from the 2019 batch onwards. Earlier, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NMC had granted a fifth, additional mercy chance to students from the 2019 and 2020 admission batches.The Vice-Chancellor has urged students to make the best possible use of this additional opportunity and successfully complete their first-year examinations. Published - October 21, 2026 07:53 pm IST