KATHMANDU: Post graduate students today vandalised Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) and boycotted the entrance exam accusing the dean of the institute of leaking the question papers ahead of the exam by taking hefty bribe.

Some 2,000 students were to sit the entrance exams to compete for the 100 seats available for Doctor of Medicine (DoM) and Masters of Surgery (MS) in four different centres today.

A scuffle broke out between doctors, students, professors and the Campus Chief himself after the infuriated students went on the rampage. At least 20 people including resident doctors, students, professors and Campus Chief Dr Ram Prasad Upreti were injured in the melee. Police, meanwhile, arrested 15 protesting examinees on a charge of vandalism.

Dr Karbir Nath Yogi, president, Professors’ Association of TUTH, alleged the dean and his team members of taking bribes and leaking the question papers. He added that Dr Arun Sayami, Dean, TUTH forcefully conducted the exam mobilising security personnel on the campus premises. He accused Sayami of taking bribes of Rs 12 million and said that the exam has been conducted for completing the formality.

However, Dr Sayami rejected the accusations and said the leakage of question was just a ‘rumour’. He also announced that the exam has been postponed and pledged to probe into the alleged scandal.

Talking to The Himalayan Times, he said that the students were apparently infuriated since they face a tough competition to get into TUTH every year. “Every year, during the entrance, there are some problems,” he added.

When queried, Sudan Thapa, secretary, Free Students’ Union (FSU), demanded that today’s entrance exam be officially cancelled and all the tainted officials at the Dean’s Office resign. Arguing that the responsibility for the incident rests squarely on the Dean’s Office, FSU has demanded that the incident be probed fairly and the exams be conducted at the earliest. Students have indefinitely padlocked the Dean’s Office following the incident.