KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has declared that setting admission criteria for medical colleges, including minimum marks for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), falls within the domain of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).
The provincial high court issued this order when it dismissed a petition seeking reduction in the minimum marks for admission to the MBBS and BDS programmes.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the minimum requirement of 55% marks for MBBS and 50% for BDS had resulted in large number of vacant seats due to strict criteria.
It was further submitted that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University had recommended lowering the minimum marks to 45% for MBBS and 40% for BDS. However, PMDC’s counsel maintained that the admission policy and merit standards had been set under the council’s authority.
He informed the court that 14,300 candidates in Sindh had secured the required marks, which is significantly higher than the total 4,400 vacant seats. He added that all seats in government medical colleges had already been filled, while 284 seats in private colleges remained vacant due to high fees.
The court said under the law, the PMDC has the authority to determine admission policy and standards.
It noted that medical education is a “sacred profession” and merit cannot be compromised. The Sindh government also opposed any reduction in merit.
The bench observed that even the Supreme Court has ruled that merit cannot be lowered simply to fill vacancies. It added that the solution to vacancies lies not in reducing standards but in facilitating deserving students.
The court pointed out that under the Sindh Private Education Institutions Rules 2005, private institutions are required to provide free education to at least 10% of students, a provision that is not being implemented.
It further directed that PMDC should announce admission policy and schedule in advance every year and no changes should be made subsequently.
It also advised the Sindh government to formulate a comprehensive policy in consultation with the PMDC to address vacant seats while directing private medical colleges to ensure free education for at least 10% students. The court later dismissed the petition.
