KARACHI: In a latest development in the controversy surrounding medical and dental colleges/universities admissions, the provincial government decided on Friday to take action against private institutions which were not implementing the eligibility criteria set by the provincial cabinet.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and attended by minister for boards and universities Ismail Rahu, parliamentary secretary-health Qasim Siraj Soomro, health secretary Zulfiqar Shah and several heads of universities.

Sources said the decision was taken in the light of complaints that some universities were not giving admissions to students on the basis of minimum 50 per cent marks obtained in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

Health minister warns private varsities against violating cabinet’s decision on MDCAT

These universities, the sources said, feared action from the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) that had set the pass percentage for 2021-22 at 65pc. The commission had warned institutions that their accreditation and registration as a medical or dental college would be cancelled on violation whereas the concerned student failing to meet the eligibility criteria would neither be registered with PMC nor received a licence to practise in the country.

During the meeting, the sources said, the health minister rejected PMC’s warnings on the matter, while emphasising that the government would support the universities/colleges if the commission initiated any action against them.

“It’s important that universities/colleges implement the cabinet’s decision. Otherwise, they will face action from the government,” she said, adding that the PMC law had no reference about having 65pc marks for admission or registration.

The minister also talked about the provincial government’s intention to set up its own medical and dental commission to end what she described as monopoly of federal-government’s PMC.

The meeting decided to make Sindh Jinnah Medical University (JSMU) as the focal institution for all matters/arrangements related to admission to private medical and dental colleges.

Later in the day, the health department notified a committee, led by JSMU Vice Chancellor Prof Shahid Rasul, for MBBS and BDS admissions to private medical and dental universities/colleges.

Prof Gulshan Ali Memon, vice chancellor of People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences, Shaheed Benazirabad, was notified as committee’s convener, whereas Prof Nazeer Ashraf Leghari, Vice Chancellor Isra University and Prof Altamash, Director Altamash Dental College, as members. Prof Syed Razi Mohammad, President of Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Association-Sindh chapter, will be its secretary.

The terms of reference of the committee include implementation of the cabinet’s decision in letter and spirit.

It might be recalled that the health minister in a meeting two weeks back had instructed heads of medical institutions to start the admissions process in the light of provincial cabinet’s decision.

It decided that candidates having Sindh’s domicile would be given preference in the admission process. In the next stage, preference would be given to students from Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and Balochistan.

Last month, the PMC, the national regulator for medical and dental education and training, had turned down the Sindh government’s request to reduce the minimum pass percentage from 65pc to 50pc for admission to MBBS/BDS courses in the province.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2022