ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has recently declared the Sindh government's move to lower Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) passing percentage against the rule of merit and meant to benefit affluent candidates.
PMC spokesperson in an official statement said lowering the pass percentage of the MDCAT 2021-22 from 65 per cent to 50 per cent was not only contrary to merit, which has been a constitutional mandate for higher education but would result in the promotion of deficiency and inadequacy in the education sector as well.
The statement was a reaction to Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho announcement to legislate the installation of Sindh's own medical and dental regulatory council after the PMC turned down its request to lower the MDCAT merit for students of Sindh for admissions in medical and dental colleges. She also declared the PMC admission policy defective.
Also read: Sindh directs medical, dental colleges to begin admission with 50 per cent marks
The spokesman said any medical and dental college admitting students, who hadn't passed the MDCAT as per PMC criteria, would be liable for penal action under the law, including cancelling their accreditation and registration as a medical or dental college. Moreover, any student admitted without meeting the eligibility criteria would not be registered with PMC and not be issued a licence to practice in the country.
