The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has opposed the proposed changes to the medical and dental admission criteria, calling the move unacceptable and contrary to merit.
In a statement, PIMA Central President Prof Atif Hafeez Siddiqui said the current admission system is transparent and merit-based, with a uniform MDCAT syllabus and examination conducted across the country. He said no serious objections were raised over the conduct of the test, nor were any incidents of corruption or malpractice reported.
Prof Siddiqui stated that the existing system has remained acceptable to all stakeholders and stressed that admissions should continue strictly under the approved rules. He warned that revising the criteria at this stage would weaken the credibility of the MDCAT framework.
He further said that lowering merit standards would damage transparency, academic quality, and professional training, ultimately affecting the standard of doctors entering the healthcare system.
PIMA urged the government to refrain from making unnecessary changes to the current admission policy and to safeguard the existing system.
The association emphasized that any decision regarding medical education admissions should be taken in the national interest to preserve merit and maintain standards in the health sector.
Good suggestion govt should monitor that no Mal practice should take place instead of making changes to lower standard and also ban doctors and engineers to take Css exam and rewise syllabus on new lines so that young doctors if going for job out of country be accommodated