60% Fail Rate for Dental Students in Tamil Nadu
There will be fewer new dentists joining the Indian State, Tamil Nadu, health system following a 60% failure rate during final examinations.
The pass percentage for the final BDS exams was 70% last year, but this year, 60% of students failed the exams, which took place in August.
A total of 945 students took the exam and only 396 passed. Fortunately, those who failed are able to re-sit the exam in February next year. The high failure rate has been attributed to changes in the exam and the marking criteria.
In previous years students were given up to 49 grace marks, but this year only 5 grace marks were awarded and this benefited only 60 students.
Last year, students had to achieve a combined pass rate of 50% for theory and practice, while this year the pass rate must be obtained for both separately. The Dental Council of India advised the Tamil Nadu Medical University to increase pass rates in order to ensure dentists have good practical and theoretical skills.
Students from Tamil Nadu Medical University do not take the common entrance test like students from other regions and they are offered places at colleges based on their examination scores in Class 12. Dr George Paul, a senior dentist, stated that it is important for students to have their aptitude tested before going to college and added that the common entrance test is the only way to do this
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