Of PM&DC Regulations on medical & dental college admissions and public benefit through merit

One of the best pieces of legislation that I have seen in my career is the MBBS and BDS (Admissions, House ob and Internship) Regulations, 2016  issued under SRO by the Federal Government on 27th Oct, 2016. It is available on below link:

http://www.pmdc.org.pk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=iFJ5Hf3BwGA%3d&tabid=292&mid=845

What it entails for strict public benefit is a whole regulatory mechanism which protects their rights to a merit based admission system of medical and dental colleges in BOTH public and private sector, proper fee structure, no hidden charges and so on. Some of the provisions are as follows:

1. It creates a “Provincial Admission Committee” headed by Health Secretary to oversee and monitor the entire admission process [to medical colleges, both public and PRIVATE sector] and ensure transparent conduct of entry tests
2. It limits the self finance and foreign quota seats [latter were/are misused to full by institutions as these students pay in dollars and are ready to pay any limit] to 15% of total seats in public sector and binds those also to fee structure approved by PMDC and not more. Private Sector medical colleges are also limited to that 15% for foreign students [their normal students are in any case self finance]
3. It makes the entry / admission test mandatory for BOTH public and private sector medical and dental colleges and determines standard syllabus for such test with marks being counted as standard across the country
4. It gives a standard formula for weightage of SSC, FSc and admission test throughout Pakistan and both for public and private sector institutions
5. It gives a date for completion of admissions [so important to ensure sessions complete on time]
6. It makes sure fee deposited is shifted to next College WITHOUT DEDUCTION if a student gets admission subsequently in a College more nearer to his choice. Most of the Colleges esp in private sector get a lot of leverage by …
7. It wards against admissions from lower in merit by banning donations etc
8. It fixes upper limit of fee structure for private medical colleges too
9. It provides fee deposit through online banking [to ward against obvious higher fee or other hidden charges]
10. It also fixes fee upper limits for foreign students
11. It provides for PAID house job and fixes stipend to be not less that any public sector hospital in the province

It is indeed most unfortunate that firstly the SRO was issued quite late in the day in 2016 and most admission processes were complete - and then a stay order was obtained against it by private medical colleges - a stay which was recently vacated - again with admission process started

There are some things which should be let to work - making money in medical education by the private sector is not something to be condemned - avoiding regulation which protects merit and rights of citizens is something which should not happen - pity indeed !!