ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has repealed the cap of maximum four attempts to clear theoretical phases of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and empowered universities to decide about the number of attempts by students to clear their theoretical studies.

But critics believe that it is a step to allow universities to have unlimited number of students without caring about the minimum number of faculty members.

However, PMC President Dr Arshad Taqi claimed that the decision would help the commission keep a check on universities/colleges violating rules.

He said medical and dental colleges would have to retain a minimum number of faculty and cannot exceed the limit of maximum number of students.

According to a letter from the PMC (available with Dawn), Hadiya Tariq, a student, had requested for an additional chance to appear in the first-year BDS examination on humanitarian grounds.

PMC says it is now up to universities to decide about number of attempts a student can make to clear theoretical studies

“The pervious regulations imposing the limit of four attempts stand repealed under the PMC Ordinance 2019. Therefore, it is now the discretion of the relevant college or university to decide the number of attempts as per their policy,” said the letter.

The student was directed to approach the college with a request for any further admission.

A former employee of the dissolved Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) requesting anonymity said in the past there were four availed or unavailed chances for each student to clear first year of BDS and two years of MBBS, which were called basics.

“The idea behind it was that if students failed to clear the basics based on theory, they cannot become doctors and should not be allowed more attempts as it was nothing but wastage of resources. However, in the next phase, which was called clinical, students were allowed to clear in more attempts. A number of students even approached court but their petitions were rejected because courts also believed that they should not become a burden on public money. That condition was included in PMDC 1962 Act,” he said.

“However, PMC has now issued a letter stating that the PMDC regulations had been repealed which meant now there is no cap on maximum number of students and minimum number of faculty members. Now students can be allowed to study from their homes just like distant learning courses or they can become doctors through online study,” he said.

When contacted, Dr Taqi said the PMC had nothing to do with the number of attempts for clearing the first-year exam so it was decided to leave it on the discretion of universities.

“It is up to universities whether they allow just one chance or more to students. The Aga Khan University (AKU) and Shifa College give just four months for remedial. We had observed that colleges were admitting more students compared to their allocated seats. If a college was allowed to admit 100 students, it was having 120 students claiming that 20 students were repeating the basics,” he said.

“However, now colleges will be allowed to have only 100 students, including those who would be reattempting to clear the first year. As far as the number of students and faculty members is concerned, colleges will have to follow it,” he said.

Dr Taqi said the PMC would not interfere in the day-to-day affairs of universities.

On October 10, President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated an ordinance which left the PMDC dissolved and paved the way for establishment of the PMC.

On Oct 20, the Ministry of National Health Services sealed the building of the PMDC and terminated the services of its 220 employees.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2019