LHC permits private medical colleges for admissions

LAHORE: A divisional bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday declared the ‘Central Induction Policy’ of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) null and void after directing the private medical colleges to independently grant admissions.  

The two-judge bench, comprising Justice Ayesha A. Malik and Justice Jawad Hassan, announced the verdict on petition filed by the private medical colleges, complaining about PMDC’s new policy that failed to sanction them the right for admission to students.

The court directed the management of private medical colleges to carry on with their regular admission procedures for the upcoming session after annulling the PMDC’s central admission policy 2016.

Last hearing

The court had earlier restricted private medical colleges from enrolling students and displaying final merit list until final verdict on Dec 7 (today).

PMDC counsel argued that the existing laws had been implemented and all public and private colleges were bound to comply with the laws of the council. He said that the private colleges were not allowed to sell their prospectus.

He submitted that only the University Health Services (UHS) had the authority for student enrollment, which restrict private colleges to grant admissions to students for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programmes.

The lawyer for private medical colleges countered that the colleges were still receiving admission applications from hopeful candidates and the students should be allowed to study in the institutions of their choice, regardless of their private or public status.