Provincial law officer to submit inquiry report to SHC on Nov 23

The Sindh High Court on Monday issued notices to the health secretary, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and others on a petition filed against the provincial government’s decision to cancel the entry test results for public medical colleges and universities.
Petitioners Haziq Khursheed and Pasban Welfare Foundation have challenged the Sindh government’s decision to cancel the entry tests conducted by the National Testing Service for medical colleges and universities.
The petitioners submitted that 2,100 students out of 22,000 candidates had passed the entry tests were conducted at five centers on October 25. After the announcement of test results, they maintained, rumors were rife on social media that the NTS question paper had been leaked a day before the test was conducted. They submitted that several candidates on the basis of such reports questioned validity of the NTS and challenged it in the SHC.
They said the health department without any lawful authority or reason constituted a committee to inquire the leaking of questioner but it was beyond its scope and jurisdiction. They submitted that health department for malafide reasons and to protect the interests of the failed candidates issued another notification whereby the results of entry tests conducted for public medical universities on October 22 were cancelled.
They said the petitioners and other candidates who passed the test had the right to secure admissions on the basis of the entry test as there was no allegation of cheating against the passing candidates. They submitted that the impugned notification issued by the health secretary was illegal as he had no powers to issue such notification in violation of the law.
They said the controversy of leaking the test paper was a scam and a campaign was being carried out with the help of political influence just to destroy an independent process of entry test for private medical colleges and universities as the test conducted by the NTS did not allow certain political elements to obtain money from students.
The petitioners submitted that the private medical colleges and universities were getting monetary benefits in such a situation as parents were compelled to reserve seats for their children seats in private colleges and universities.
The court was requested to declare the Sindh health department’s notification with regard to cancellation of the entry test results illegal and order that the petitioners who passed the entry test were entitled to get admission in medical colleges or universities.
The petitioners also sought injunction against any fresh entry test for public medical colleges and universities for the year 2017-18. They also requested the court to direct the government to develop a standard system for medical colleges and universities admission.
In another identical matter, the counsel of the petitioner submitted that the government had issued an impugned notification without hearing the candidates who passed the entry test and requested the court to suspend the notification.
The court observed that no fresh date for entry test had been announced yet. It directed the provincial law officer to submit by November 23 an inquiry report and details of steps being taken by the provincial government after the cancellation of entry tests results.