National Task Force says reintroducing supplementary exams will alleviate stress among medical students

National Task Force recommends supplementary exams, reduced duty hours, uniform pay scale, and yoga for mental health of medical students.

The National Task Force on Mental Health and Well-being of Medical Students-2024 has recommended the re-introduction of supplementary exams at the university level to alleviate stress among medical students.

“The demanding nature of medical education often leads to heightened stress, anxiety and mental health challenges. Offering supplementary exams provides students who may not perform well initially with a second chance, thus reducing the academic pressure and anxiety associated with one-time high-stakes testing. These exams encourage deeper learning and knowledge retention, essential for their future practices,” the report said.

National Medical Commission (NMC) had formed a task force headed by Suresh Bada Math, Professor of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bengaluru. The task force conducted an online survey on the mental health and well-being of medical students across the nation.

The survey comes down heavily on deliberately failing students to collect fees for semester repetitions, calls it “grossly unethical”, and says that such a practice has been brought to the notice of the task force in the survey.

“There should be strict penalties for medical colleges found guilty of deliberately failing students for financial gain. Removing fees for repeating semesters in medical colleges is a potential strategy to reduce economic burdens on students who need to retake courses. This also helps reduce the stress associated with the financial burdens of repeating courses,” it added.

Among other recommendations, the task force noticed that excessive duty hours pose risks to the physical and mental health of medical students and also compromise patient safety. To mitigate this, it is recommended that the residents work no more than 74 hours per week, with no more than 24 hours at a stretch.

“This schedule includes one day off per week, one 24-hour duty, and 10-hour shifts for the remaining five days. It is also important for medical students to sleep at least 7 to 8 hours per day for optimal mental and physical health,” it said.