ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Thursday, dismissed six identical petitions filed against MDCAT and the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC)’s examination regulations.
A single bench of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, after hearing the petitions moved by the students regarding the matter, dismissed them.
The petitioners’ lawyer argued that the future of students was at stake due to new examination regulations. He said who would be responsible, if the online examination system gets hacked.
The counsel said that double fee was collected from the students due to joint venture with a private firm and the results of the test were sent to students through e-mails but later, the PMC withdrew it, while declaring a system error. He prayed before the court to issue an order as the medical colleges had started admissions.
He further contended that the students who studied abroad would be considered foreign degree holders.
He added that this rule was also for MDCAT, PMDC, BDS, and MBBS, as well.
The court inquired whether there was any quota for overseas Pakistanis. The lawyer replied “yes”. The court asked the lawyer, if he was an overseas Pakistani then he also had to appear in MDCAT test for medical admission.
The lawyer said thousands of students wanted to appear in MDCAT but they were not being provided opportunity.
The PMC’s lawyer said that soon arrangements would be made in Pakistan embassies abroad for overseas Pakistanis.
The petitioners’ counsel said that the test was taken in a marquee in Islamabad and results were received after two hours through e-mails. He added that the PMC had not denied these results in its reply.
He prayed before the court to stop the PMC from forming new admission rules and its implementation, adding the department wanted to take control of medical universities and colleges.
The counsel said that the PMC had categorised universities and colleges at its own will, which was not its jurisdiction. He maintained that it was the power of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to prepare grading of educational institutes.
In June this year, the PMC has issued the new Medical and dental undergraduate education (admissions, curriculum and conduct) Regulations, 2021 and categorised the colleges from “A+” to “F” grade on the basis of their last inspection score. The Commission has also directed the colleges to amend their fee structure as per their grade announced by the Commission and payment collection scheme by awarding a percentage of reward to students in case of lump-sum payment.
According to the PMC Conduct of Examinations Regulations 2021, the syllabus of the MDCAT exam shall not be bound to any textbook or HSSC board syllabus and the questions in each exam paper will be randomly selected from the examination question bank.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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