ADMISSIONS IN MEDICAL COLLEGES.

ISLAMABAD   -    A three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Paki­stan headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, will hear a suo motu case related to examining the grant of 20 addi­tional marks to Hafiz-e-Quran students while admit­ting them for an MBBS/BDS degree on March 15. The other members of the bench are Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Waheed. The bench will see if it fell in line with the MBBS and BDS (Admission, House Job and Internship) Regulations 2018. Earlier this year in January, the apex court served notices to the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) after a female applicant was denied admission to Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences. She then sought ad­ditional 20 marks for being a Hafiz-e-Quran in order to get admission. Justice Faez Isa questioned the pe­titioner’s counsel on why additional marks should be given on the basis of being Hafiz-e-Quran. The petitioner argued that she was denied admission de­spite having merit and that the additional 20 marks for the Hafiz-e-Quran quota would have secured her admission. He acknowledged the sacredness of being a Hafiz-e-Quran and suggested that it would be ap­propriate for such candidates to apply for positions as imams or religious lecturers. However, the top court questioned the rationale behind granting extra marks for admission to medical colleges or univer­sities. The PMC and other respondents will submit their replies in court next week. The apex court has sought clarity on the issue. “How are admissions into medical and other colleges linked to being a Hafiz-e-Quran? Why should 20 marks extra be given on this basis?” Justice Isa asked. “We believe that memoris­ing the Quran is sacred. And it is a plus point when someone wants to become the imam of a mosque or a religious lecturer,” he remarked. He added, “But how can a Hafiz-e-Quran be a better doctor?”