PMC issues notices to medical colleges

Irregularities reported in admission process

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) on Wednesday served notices to different private and medical colleges across the country over complaints of demanding hundreds of rupees under different pretexts and irregularities in the interview process.

The commission issued notices to all such medical and dental educational institutions after receiving complaints from aspiring doctors, a spokesperson shared on Wednesday.

It was learnt that the Rawal Institute of Health and Sciences (RIHS) started enrolling students without publishing a merit list while the Sahara Medical College, Narowal allegedly did not conduct interviews in a transparent manner.

The spokesperson further mentioned that the Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad conducted interviews with students who did not fulfil the criteria. "Irregularities in the interview process were also reported from the Liaquat National Hospital and the Medical College, while the Islamabad Medical and Dental College has not displayed its merit list either," they noted.

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Similarly, the Amna Inayat Medical College, Lahore has also been served a notice over irregularities in the admission process, while the Al-Alim Medical College and the Ibne Sina Medical College in Lahore allegedly obligated students to purchase an insurance policy and provided options for students against their admission policies.

Apart from that, the Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College, Lahore conducted interviews of selected students without displaying the merit list as well, they added.

The PMC also issued a notice to the Rehman Medical College in Hayatabad for allegedly demanding hundreds of rupees from students under the guise of charity, while the Shareef Medical and Dental College, Lahore was issued a notice for allegedly demanding additional fees from students and conducting non-transparent interviews.

The commission also ordered the Multan Medical and Dental College to display its merit list immediately.

Meanwhile, an application was filed against the HBS Medical and Dental College, Islamabad for not providing receipts to the students after the submission of fees.

Moreover, the Shahida Islam Medical College in Lodhran, Sardar Begum Dental College in Peshawar, and Al-Razi Medical College in Peshawar also received notices from the PMC for allegedly charging additional fees, granting admissions without the inclusion of designated interview marks, and for not displaying merit lists.

In addition to that, the Frontier Medical College, Islamabad and University of Medical and Dental College, Faisalabad were served notices for irregularities in the interview process and demanding donations from students, respectively.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2021.