On a slippery slope: Dental, medical colleges open admissions despite registration denial

More than 6,000 students appear for entry tests in Larkana and Sukkur

SUKKUR: Turning a blind eye towards their denied registration by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Bibi Aseefa Dental College (BADC), Larkana, and Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College (GMMMC), Sukkur, held their entry tests on Sunday.

Around 2,536 candidates appeared in the entry test for 100 seats in GMMMC. The test was conducted by the National Testing Service at the ground of Public School, Sukkur. However, the PMDC refused to recognise the two last batches of the GMMMC due to the lack of equipment and faculty and it directed the college administration to stop fresh admissions.

The students of the last two batches have been protesting against the college administration, which, according to them, provided them admissions without fulfilling the requirements of the PMDC.



Similarly, around 4,353 students appeared for the entry test in Larkana for the 50 seats of BADC, 208 seats of Chandka Medical College and 60 seats of Pharmacy Institute Larkana.

Since its establishment in 2012, BADC has been running without being registered with the PMDC, due to which, 250 students studying at the college are facing an uncertain future now. The college was not registered by PMDC as the campus lacks the required facilities and faculty. The students of the BADC have been protesting and demanding registration of their college by the PMDC.

Still hopeful

Upon contact, GMMMC principal Dr Ghulam Haider Rind told The Express Tribune that following the non-recognition of the last two batches of the college, the administration requested the PMDC to visit the campus again.

He said that all the requirements including necessary facilities and faculty requirements have been fulfilled and the team of PMDC is expected to visit the college on November 15. "I hope that the problems of the students will be resolved amicably," he added. BADC spokesperson Abdul Samad Bhatti said that the principal of the college had written a letter to the PMDC and its team is arriving in Larkana after November 15. All the requirements have been fulfilled and, therefore, it makes no sense to postpone the entry tests for admissions in the college, he said. "We are taking all out efforts to protect the future of our students and most probably the college will finally be registered this time," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2016.