Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha on Tuesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to maintaining ethical standards in medical education. Addressing the state assembly, he declared that any unethical activities by faculty members or doctors in medical colleges would not be tolerated, and stringent action would be taken against those found guilty.
His statement came in response to a calling attention notice regarding a recent case of alleged financial misconduct at Tripura Medical College (TMC), where a professor was accused of taking money in exchange for helping students pass examinations.
Serious Allegations Against Medical Professor
The Chief Minister informed the assembly that on February 4, 2025, a group of MBBS students from Tripura Medical College and Dr. BRAM Teaching Hospital lodged a written complaint against Prof. (Dr.) Soma Choudhury, Head of the Department of Physiology. The students alleged that she was involved in unethical practices that influenced the results of the first professional MBBS university examination.
The students claimed that money was demanded in exchange for passing marks, and those who failed to pay were deliberately given failing grades. Following this complaint, the Director in charge of the Medical Education Department of the Tripura Government conducted an on-site inspection at Tripura Medical College and directed the college authorities to immediately launch an investigation and take necessary action.
Complaint and Investigation Initiated
According to the Chief Minister, the controversy stemmed from the November 2024 first professional MBBS university examination, in which three students who had failed accused Dr. Choudhury of soliciting money in exchange for guaranteeing a pass.
The allegations gained further momentum when local newspapers in Tripura published reports on the matter, raising serious concerns about corruption within medical education.
Following these reports, the Crime Branch registered a First Information Report (FIR) on February 12, 2025 (Case No. 2025 TPCBC 001). The case was filed under:
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Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) – related to attempts to commit culpable homicide
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Sections 7, 7A, and 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – pertaining to bribery and corrupt practices in public service
The investigation is currently underway, and authorities believe that further evidence and potential accomplices may be uncovered during the probe.
Immediate Disciplinary Actions Taken
Taking swift action, the Tripura Medical College authorities suspended Dr. Soma Choudhury on February 7, 2025. Additionally, a show-cause notice was issued, demanding an explanation for the corruption charges leveled against her.
In her response to the notice, Dr. Choudhury denied all allegations, claiming that she had only taken personal loans from certain individuals and had repaid them with interest. She submitted financial documents in support of her claims, which are currently being reviewed.
Authorities have assured that appropriate departmental action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation. If proven guilty, she will face severe legal and professional consequences.
Reforms for Fair Examination Process
To prevent future misconduct and enhance transparency in medical university examinations, the Director of Medical Education engaged in discussions with the Registrar and Controller of Examinations of Tripura University.
As a result, on March 7, 2025, a high-level meeting was convened at Tripura University’s Examination Center Conference Hall.
Key Participants in the Meeting:
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Deputy Registrar (Examinations), Tripura University
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Director of Medical Education, Tripura Government
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Senior professors from Agartala Government Medical College and Tripura Medical College
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Assistant Registrar (Examinations), Tripura University
The primary agenda of the meeting was to implement stricter examination protocols in accordance with National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines to eliminate potential malpractice.
Key Decisions Taken in the Meeting:
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Implementation of a Centralized Evaluation System
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From 2025 onwards, Tripura University will centrally evaluate all MBBS university exam answer sheets to ensure impartiality.
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Anonymous Answer Sheet Evaluation
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Answer sheets will be assigned a unique code, and all personal details of students will be removed before evaluation.
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Only university authorities will have access to these codes. Evaluators will not know the identity of students or their respective colleges.
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Strict Monitoring of Exam Evaluation
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Only qualified internal examiners will be allowed to evaluate theory papers.
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Practical and viva exams will be conducted in the presence of both internal and external examiners.
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360-Degree Faculty Assessment System
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All faculty members and examiners will be evaluated through the 360-degree assessment system mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
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This system considers clinical skills, interpersonal skills, communication ability, professionalism, and feedback from multiple sources to ensure integrity.
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Enhanced Examination Security Measures
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A uniform coding system will be introduced for all answer sheets across both government and private medical colleges.
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Student identity details will be completely removed from answer sheets before submission for evaluation.
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Strict Enforcement of Medical Ethics and Anti-Corruption Laws
The Chief Minister reiterated that the Tripura Medical Education Department is taking the issue extremely seriously and will ensure zero tolerance for corruption and unethical practices in medical colleges.
He warned that any medical professional found guilty of misconduct will face disciplinary action under the National Medical Commission (NMC) Medical Ethics Regulations, 2002 (Amended till October 8, 2016).
The government is committed to ensuring that Tripura’s medical education system upholds the highest standards of fairness, ethics, and professionalism. Authorities have vowed to closely monitor faculty conduct and prevent any future attempts to exploit students for financial gain.
This bold stance against corruption in medical education is expected to restore trust in the system and ensure that students are assessed purely based on merit and competence.
