Hyderabad: At least 17 Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students from Government Dental College in Afzalgunj, the sole state-run dental institution in the state, found themselves at the doors of the Secretariat on Tuesday. Despite passing their second-year final exams and meeting attendance requirements, they were denied promotion to the third year due to their failure to attend an internal exam in one subject.Dr P. Aruna, the college’s principal, clarified that although the rules allow for multiple internal exams, only one was conducted in the previous semester. This caught many students off guard, including those with high attendance and passing grades.One parent, whose child maintained an 86 per cent attendance and passed the final, expressed frustration over the lack of communication regarding the importance of the single internal exam.A student, speaking on condition of anonymity, shared her ordeal, revealing a 91 per cent attendance record and the shock of discovering her exams were in vain. “Despite pleas to conduct another exam, the principal refused, even after having given earlier assurances to my parents that this won’t affect my future,” she alleged.In response, the principal stated that the decision lay with the department and defended the notification process, suggesting that second-year students should have been aware of the significance of the internal exam.Expressing solidarity with the aggrieved students, Dr. Md Manzur, national president of the All India Dental Students & Surgeons Association (AIDSA), condemned the situation, emphasising the struggle for education rights. “There is an urgent need for clarity in communication, and we demand immediate promotion, especially since third-year classes have already commenced, and the threat of losing an academic year has students worried,” he told Deccan Chronicle. AIDSA submitted their representation to the principal, which Dr. Aruna said she accepted but deemed “pointless.”As tensions escalate, students are determined to return to the Secretariat on Wednesday, pleading with authorities to rectify what they perceive as an unjust decision. Their hopes rest on the acknowledgment of their academic achievements and the recognition of their right to a fair education.
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