ISLAMABAD   -   The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday issued notices to the Paki­stan Medical Council (PMC) in a petition challenging the new rules for students’ admissions in medi­cal and dental colleges. 

A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb conducted hearing of the petition moved by Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental In­stitutions (PAMI) challenging the new medical and dental under­graduate education (admissions, curriculum and conduct) Regula­tions, 2021. 

During the hearing, the counsel for PAMI Ashtar Ausaf Advocate informed the court that the PMC had withdrawn its notification re­garding rules for admissions and marking. 

However, he prayed to the court

to stop the PMC from forming new admission rules and its implemen­tation. He added that the depart­ment wanted to take control of medical universities and colleges. 

The counsel said that the PMC had categorized universities and colleges at its own will, which he said was not the jurisdiction of PMC. He maintained that it was the power of Higher Education Com­mission (HEC) to prepare grading of educational institutions. 

The IHC bench deferred the hearing of the case till Septem­ber 16 for further proceedings af­ter directing its registrar office to send the hearing order to PMC.

In June this year, the PMC has is­sued the new medical and dental undergraduate education (admis­sions, curriculum and conduct) Regulations, 2021 and categorized the colleges from ‘A+’ to ‘F’ grade on the basis of their last inspec­tion score. 

The Commission has also direct­ed the colleges to amend their fee structure as per their grade an­nounced by the Commission and payment collection scheme by awarding a percentage of reward to students in case of lump-sum payment.