UHS bars medical colleges from imposing fines on students

LAHORE:The University of Health Sciences (UHS) has prohibited medical colleges from imposing fines on their students without prior approval from the university.

This new policy applies to all medical colleges in Punjab, both public and private. Specifically, it aims to prevent the excessive penalisation of students in private medical colleges for trivial transgressions such as absences. Additionally, quarterly parent-teacher meetings have been made mandatory in medical and dental colleges to ensure better discipline.

These decisions were taken on Wednesday during the 37th meeting of the UHS Academic Council, chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore. The meeting was attended by heads of affiliated medical colleges and other institutions.

In his address, Prof Rathore emphasised that colleges should reduce their reliance on student clerks, urging faculty members to take responsibility for addressing student issues. The Academic Council decided that medical students will be allowed 18 days of leave per year. Any additional leave will require the students to attend extra classes. Policies regarding student discipline and attendance will also be clearly outlined in the colleges' prospectuses. Prof Rathore highlighted that some colleges have been imposing heavy fines on students for minor infractions, which burden the parents rather than the students. The members decided that colleges cannot suspend or expel students without prior approval from the university. It was also resolved that freezing of academic programmes will not affect any examinations held during that period. Exams will proceed as scheduled, and the candidates' attempts will be counted as per rules and regulations.

The Academic Council urged private medical colleges to establish scholarship policies for financially needy students, with a UHS member included in the scholarship committee to ensure transparency.

Prof Rathore noted that, according to PMDC policy, private colleges are required to allocate a specified number of free beds in their hospitals. To manage patient overflow, private teaching hospitals will enter into agreements with nearby govt hospitals, transferring patients when necessary.