In a case that underscores systemic delays and regulatory gaps, three MBBS students from BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur have spent up to 20 years trapped in academic limbo, unable to complete their degrees due to pending examinations and withheld results.

The extraordinary situation surfaced after one of the students moved the High Court, seeking the release of his long-delayed results. The court’s intervention finally compelled authorities to act—but the outcome brought fresh disappointment. The student, whose result had been withheld for years, failed again in two subjects and must now appear for supplementary examinations.

Decades-long wait for closure

The three affected students belong to the 1998, 2009 and 2010 batches. All had enrolled in the MBBS programme but were unable to clear certain examinations. Over time, their results remained pending, effectively halting their academic progress and leaving their medical careers in limbo.

College authorities attributed the delay to evolving regulatory frameworks, which led to prolonged withholding of results and compounded uncertainty for the students.

While one student’s result has now been declared following judicial intervention, the fate of the remaining two still hangs in the balance. Officials confirmed that discussions with the university are ongoing, and formal communication is underway to expedite the declaration of their results.

Once released, the outcomes will determine whether the two students are declared pass or asked to appear for supplementary exams—decisions that could finally end years of uncertainty.

Regulatory shift complicates resolution

Principal Ramkumar Jaiswal said the college is now bound by the norms of the National Medical Commission (NMC), which mandate that students clear the first-year MBBS within four years and complete the entire course within a maximum of 10 years, failing which their registration stands cancelled.

However, the three students were admitted under the earlier framework of the Medical Council of India (MCI), which did not impose such rigid timelines. This regulatory transition has further complicated their cases, prompting the college to seek clarity and approval from the university before releasing pending results.

The episode has cast a spotlight on an unprecedented academic backlog—where students remained enrolled in a professional course for nearly two decades, yet continue to struggle for closure on their degrees.