Islamabad, 5 October 2023: Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has expressed deep concern over the current situation related to admissions in medical colleges and the mismanagement observed in the recent MDCAT examination. PIMA called on the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), relevant provincial health departments and universities to announce a uniform and transparent central admission policy.
PIMA also stressed the immediate need to abolish ambiguous and financially burdensome admission policies.
The transparency of the entrance examination must be ensured. It appears that the PMDC is currently safeguarding the interests of private medical colleges.
In a statement on Thursday, PIMA President Dr. Abdul Aziz Memon stated that the PMDC has continuously failed to ensure the timely process of admissions. Students desiring admission into medical colleges and their parents are the most important stakeholders in the admission system, who are currently in a state of uncertainty and no one seems to care about their rights.
The recent incidents in the MDCAT examination, including the leaking of papers and widespread cheating, raise questions about the performance of relevant institutions. He questioned, “What kind of medical professionals will we have in our country as a result of such examinations?”
He mentioned that complaints about nepotism and the use of money, especially in private institutions for admissions, are commonly discussed. The PMDC should collaborate with relevant institutions to announce a central policy that ensures transparency in all aspects of the admission process for MBBS and BDS in both public and private medical and dental colleges. He further stated that the government should formulate a uniform and transparent policy for admissions into medical and dental colleges and ensure its proper implementation.
