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Students in blind alley after medical exams cancellation

By Asif Chaudhry 2015-08-03
LAHORE: The MD/MS programme suffered a blow after the Punjab University `refused` to conduct examination of the Federal Postgraduate Medical Institute students as the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) de-notified it (PU) for being a non-medical varsity.

This major degree programme was already facing issues in Punjab since some elements in the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan and the teaching institutions are alleged to have waged a war for the `FCPS monopoly`.

`The news disturbed more than 40 students of the FPGMI who were all set to appear in the exams but were informed at the eleventh hour through correspondence by the PU that the exams had been cancelled due to certain reasons,` an official told Dawn. He said the exams were scheduled to be held on July 27 andthe roll number slips had been issuedto the students.

As the PU has not given indications to revise its schedule of exams, uncertainty has gripped the students who have completed their training.

The PMDC issued a public notice declaring that the council had denotified all the non-medical universities including the Punjab University. The notification reads, `All the medical colleges are being directed to affiliate them with the medical universities under section 2 (J) of XIX 2012 (amendment) of PMDC Ordinance 1962.

The PMDC`s decision created confusion as the notification asked the medical colleges for compliance of its instructions in letter and spirit. It did not clearly state whether the postgraduate institutes also should follow the same or not.

The misinterpretation of the public notice led to further uncertainty when some groups from the FPGMI surfaced and started lobbying for their favourite medical universities.

A group of young doctors of the Shaikh Zayed Hospital pressured the Punjab University to stop conducting exams of the FPGMI andstarted agitation for its affiliation with the King Edward Medical University (KEMU). The SZH chapter of the Young Doctors Association Punjab has also given a protest call from Tuesday to get its demand implemented.

Meanwhile, the PU cancelled the exams on the pretext that the PMDC`s public notice and later court`s decision were being referred to the panel of the varsity for comments.

`Our future is at stake. Nobody knows what would happen to our higher qualification,` a student told this reporter. He said the `power politics` between some groups of the health professionals had landed them in trouble.

SZH dean/chairman Prof Dr Farid Ahmad Khan told Dawn `we have discussed the issue but yet to reach any decision due to confusion.` He said a committee of senior doctors of the FPGMI was asked to find out solution as to which varsity should conduct exams of the MS/ MD students.

`The committee visited only two varsities, Punjab University and UHS, to discuss the af filiation of the FPGMI,` he said, adding that it ignored the KEMU and the FatimaJinnah Medical University which were also better options.

Prof Farid said if the institute was affiliated with the UHS, the paramedics would go on strike fearing that they might lose their status as civil servant. `If the exams were conducted by the PU as per previous arrangements, young doctors would have offered resistance,` he said.

He said it had been decided to take up this case in the next academic council meeting.

Punjab University Controller of Examinations Prof Dr Shahid Munir said a group of young doctors had moved the Lahore High Court against the PU when it decided to continue conducting MD/MS exams of the FPGML Consequently, the PU cancelled the exams.

`Although the LHC has given its verdict, the PU admin has not been provided signed copy of the decision,` Dr Shahid said, adding that he had taken up the issue with the PU vice chancellor. `Finally, we have referred the case to the legal panel of the Punjab University to get advice on the LHC`s decision and the PMDC`s notification,` he said.

The Punjab University has been conducting the exams for the last 20 years or so.