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PMDC allows admissions to three unrecongnised medical colleges

ISLAMABAD: Instead of protecting the high standards of medical education, the embattled regulator of medical education, Pakistan Medical and Dental College (PM&DC), has started giving illegal permission to unrecognised colleges to start admissions for the education of future doctors, a move that could land top PM&DC officials in hot waters, documents available with The News revealed.

According to documents, PMD&DC has allowed three medical colleges in Punjab to admit students without their notification of registration by the federal government in gross violation of PM&DC Ordinance 1962. These three medical colleges namely Faryal Dental College, Shikupura, Rahbar Medical College Lahore and Rai Medical College Sargodha have already begun classes in February this year and about 250 students are currently studying there.

The documents revealed that PM&DC’s so called executive committee held a meeting in December 2013 which approved a “special relaxation” to allow intake of medical students by the colleges who have not obtained recognition letter by the ministry of national health services regulation and coordination.

The PM&DC and the ministry are currently at loggerhead over the legal status of the council and the ministry claims that the current set-up of PM&DC has no legal status without any official notification in the gazette of Pakistan. The lingering crisis is playing havoc with the quality of medical education in Pakistan, a country that has been famous for producing high quality doctors in the past. Powerful lobbies are taking full advantage of this situation by minting huge amount of money.

“For those college which are approved by the council but to whom letters were not issued from Ministry or Executive Committee, any student admitted during this gap would be registered provided the gap is not more than six months,” read the minutes of the meeting signed by PM&DC registrar Raja Amjad Mahmood.

However, experts believe that the relaxation through policy decision is illegal and a blatant violation of law. “This is tantamount to assisting the operation of an illegal college, as neither the PM&DC Ordinance nor any other relevant law allows operation of any college without notification of the ministry,” said Dr Amir Bandaisha, senior leader of Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab.

He said YDA has served a legal notice on PM&DC and the ministry of national health on the issue and it will move higher courts over the gross violation of rules by the regulator.Under section 22B of the PM&DC Ordinance, the officials who allow operation of unrecognised colleges can face up to five years of imprisonment and Rs10 million fine.

YDA has urged the ministry to lodge cases against Registrar and other officials of PM&DC under sections 22A, 22B and 28B of the PM&DC Ordinance 1962 as amended by the PM&DC (amendment) Act 2012.

A spokesman of the ministry confirmed that legal notice has been received over operation of illegal colleges under the watch of PM&DC. “Yes the ministry has received the legal notice over illegal operation of three medical colleges and we are seeking opinion of the ministry of law over the issue,” the spokesman told The News. He said the ministry does not recognise the Council and its executive committee as the superior courts have barred it from officially holding the meetings.

When contacted, Registrar PM&DC Raja Amjad admitted to signing the minutes of the meeting with the controversial relaxation saying the three unrecognised colleges are holding medical classes as PM&DC has already recommended their cases to the ministry. “The ministry should be held responsible for this illegality as PM&DC has already sent its recommendations to the ministry of national health services for recognition of these colleges,” he said.

Raja Amjad however maintained that these colleges were not allowed by PM&DC to admit students. “We have just sent our recommendations and the delay is on the part of the ministry.” However, despite the Registrar’s claims PM&DC has failed to warn the potential students about these three unrecognised colleges. The website of PM&DC contains a list of unrecognised colleges and also under-examination colleges but these three colleges feature nowhere in these lists.

The chief executive and owner of Rai Medical College, Rai Aslam also confirmed to The News that his college has been permitted by PM&DC to hold medical classes without ministry’s recognition.

“We have permission of PM&DC as the Council has allowed three colleges to start admission without the official letter of the ministry,” Rai Asalm said while referring to the illegal relaxation given to the colleges.Under section 11 and 18 of the PMDC Ordinance, a medical college is recognised only after the date of its notification in the official gazette by the Federal Government.

“The federal government may grant recognition to any medical institutions in Pakistan which trains or grants or both trains and grants medical qualifications and the qualification granted by them. All such recognised medical institutions or qualifications shall be included in the First Schedule by the federal government by notification in the official Gazette,” says section 11 of the Ordinance.

Source : The News

pmdc illegal medical colleges