PMDC vows to enforce merit formula for admissions

Islamabad

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has announced there will be merit formula for the entry test of medical and dental colleges and that will be strictly implemented.

"Admission to MBBS and BDS courses in a medical and dental colleges will be made strictly on the basis of merit and in accordance with regulations. Any admission made in violation of merit or on the basis of monetary gain in any form and reported to or noticed by the council will be considered a violation of these regulations and will be dealt with strictly," PMDC President Professor Shabbir Ahmad Lehri told the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination here.

The PMDC president said the council had made a new merit policy for admissions to medical and dental colleges. He said the policy controlled extra charges in the name of donation as some private medical and dental colleges used to loot parents by illegally getting heavy fees.

Professor Shabbir said some private medical colleges were not happy at the policy but the PMDC would continue its work to streamline the medical and dental education system in the country.

He said a profitable business had been started by some private medical and dental colleges in the name of medical education, which was not up to the mark due to poor infrastructure and other issues.

The PMDC president said there's a merit system for admissions to public sector medical and dental colleges but private colleges violated the PMDC regulations as in the past, there was no mechanism to control these colleges.

He said the seats of medical and dental colleges not filled by foreign graduates would be converted into local open merit seats with local student fee schedule. Professor Shabbir said some private medical colleges had adopted the 'pick and choose' policy while setting aside merit policy and giving priority to the lowest marks holders over highest marks holders just for monetary gains. Committee Chairman Khalid Hussain Magsi told the PMDC president to ensure imposition of fine on all private medical colleges failing to follow regulations on admissions.