ISLAMABAD As a consequence of longstanding grudges against students, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) found 'ample opportunity to victimise hundreds of students only to settle some 'old scores. Of the 507 students who appeared in the Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) exams, only 18 were declared successful. This happens to be one of the lowest passing percentages of candidates in the history of the aforesaid examination. The aggrieved students are protesting against the unreasonable attitude of the PMDC administration, on the grounds that they are being deliberately failed as a result of victimisation. The exam was held on June 20, 2010 and the result was declared right after five days, in unusual haste, which also makes the entire affair quite suspicious. According to details, hundreds of students who acquired medical degrees this year from different countries, including China, Russia, Iran, Krygystan, Ukraine and other adjoining countries, were due to appear in the RMP exam this year. The PMDC made it obligatory for the students to produce eligibility certificates for taking the RMP exam. These certificates were to be issued by the Council to students after verification of their degrees. However, the verification process was so irksome that the students who submitted applications for verification, in first week of January, were not issued the eligibility certificates till the first week of June. Given that the same exam was to be held on June 20, the helpless students were forced to waste their time visiting PMDC instead of preparing for the examination. The students moved the Lahore High Court, and the LHC decided in the students favour as the students were allowed to appear in the RMP exams without eligibility restriction, while their degrees were to be verified later. The 'angry PMDC reportedly found it convenient to unjustifiably victimise the students. While all the students of the medical colleges from the aforementioned countries are required to appear in the particular examination, the students of seven blue-eyed Chinese medical universities are exempted from taking the trouble to appear in any test. Moreover, of the 18 lucky students who escaped PMDCs wrath, 6 were those who graduated from Chinese universities and out of them, 5 from Shihezi University School of Medicine. However, this university is not included in these 'lucky seven universities that enjoy distinguished favour from PMDC. While talking to TheNation, one of the aggrieved students confirmed that students are being victimised, on account of consulting the Lahore High Court against the PMDC administration, for delay in issuance of eligibility letters. It was due to PMDCs negligence that students could not get eligibility letters timely, we knew that PMDC officials were infuriated with students moving LHC but PMDC had to comply with the court decision he continued. When the Registrar PMDC, Dr Ahmad Nadeem Akbar, was contacted, he said PMDC was not victimising students, and that it had no personal grudges against the students. It is only that we can not compromise on standard, he added. While replying to a question on untimely issuing of eligibility letters to the students, he said, It is not PMDC which is responsible for this, as verification take times. He also said that the PMDC has received verification of only 25 per cent students, so far, and confirmation of the remaining is yet to be received. On the other hand, students accuse the PMDC for being directly responsible for the prolonged delay in the verification process, as it did not send the students degrees to their respective universities till the start of June.