Rajasthan High Court: Attendance Compulsory For MBBS Students

JODHPUR: The Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court ruled that MBBS students must maintain mandatory attendance, stressing that educational standards in medical training cannot be compromised due to the critical role of the healthcare system.

The court emphasized that students who fail to meet the required attendance should not be allowed to advance to the next year, as it could negatively impact medical education quality and, in turn, public healthcare standards.

Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur ruled that MBBS students must meet the required attendance in both theory and practicals to continue their course, especially for the second-year examination. He explained that since MBBS graduates will be responsible for treating patients, their education must meet high standards to ensure quality healthcare.

The court reviewed one of the cases and found that the student had passed NEET and joined the first year of MBBS. However, he was diagnosed with dengue, which prevented him from meeting the required 75% attendance in theory and 80% in practicals. As a result, the college did not allow him to take the exam.

After listening to both sides, the Court stated that because the student did not meet the minimum attendance requirement for both theory and practical, and since a previous bench had already rejected his request in October 2024, no relief could be given to him at this stage.

The court considered that medical students are training for a critical profession, and allowing them to proceed without meeting attendance requirements could affect public health and safety.