SHC dismisses Sindh Govt’s decision about admission in medical college

KARACHI, March 18,2022- Sindh High Court has dismissed the Sindh government’s notification and Sindh Cabinet’s decision for allowing admission to students who obtained 50 percent marks in PMC Med-CAT.

A conflict between Sindh and federal on admission to medical colleges, as Pakistan Medical Commission made mandatory for students to obtain 65 % marks for admission in medical colleges.

PMC warns to cancel registration of institutions giving admission to students with less than 65% marks 

Sindh demands 50% passing marks in admission in medical colleges

The Sindh government did not agree with the PMC policy and wrote letter to PMC, to reduce the marks ranking. Later, Sindh Cabinet decision for allowing admission to students who obtained 50 percent marks in PMC Med-CAT and the provincial government issued such notification.

Sindh Government had declared 50% marks eligible for medical admission.

The PMC approached the Sindh High Court against the Sindh government’s notification.

A full bench headed by Justice Iqbal Kalhoro, heard the case.

The court completed the arguments of Attorney General and PMC lawyer Zeeshan Abdullah. PMC has legal right to set marks for medical admission, its lawyer argued and said PMC qualifies 65% of Med CAT recipients for medical admission, therefore Sindh government’s notification should be canceled.

The court dismissed the Sindh government’s notification and Sindh Cabinet’s decision.

Sindh demands 50% passing marks in admission in medical colleges

In November 2021, the Sindh government in consultation with private medical and dental colleges has demanded to reduce the passing mark in medical admissions from 65 to 50 percent.
Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho in a written communication to Pakistan Medical Commission informed about the objections of the province on the policy of admissions in medical and dental colleges and said that 60,883 candidates failed, only 7797 candidates could pass the admission test.

The provincial health minister further said in the letter that Sindh has objections on the tests being conducted under PMC for medical colleges’ admission and added that the third-party test included questions from the curriculum of the Islamabad Board, while the curriculum of the provinces is different.

The health minister’s letter said that 492 seats were left vacant last year due to the condition of 60% passing marks.

She further wrote that there are 5490 medical seats in the province, most of which are in private medical and dental colleges.

The provincial health minister demanded of PMC authorities to fix 50% passing mark in medical admissions in Sindh.

The Sindh government has also raised objections on the structure of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC).

Sindh Health Minister Azra Pechuho has said that due to injustice done to medical students in Sindh and Sindh’s concerns were not taken into consideration, we will be able to conduct medical tests ourselves from next year.

Admission of students from other provinces in Sindh medical colleges: Health minister worried

Expressing concern over the admission of students from other provinces in Sindh medical colleges and the attitude of PMC, the Sindh health minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said that despite writing every letter against the examination procedure and other complaints, the PMC has put the future of Sindh students at stake.
Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said, now, there is an option to take separate tests for admission in medical colleges in Sindh.

The PMC and the federation may be angry but we are compelled to take this option because the students from the other provinces back to their provinces after completing studies in our medical colleges and will find a shortage of doctors in Sindh.

PMC can’t take exams, then why they are playing with future of students? She asked and added that not only in Sindh but students also in other provinces are protesting.